What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientMethyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSphingolipids
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate-13
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
C11-13 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tromethamine
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Phytate
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Diisostearyl Malate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Methyl Trimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenyl Trimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, C14-22 Alcohols, Ectoin, Dipropylene Glycol, Simethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sphingolipids, Arachidyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glucose, Ceramide NP, Polyacrylate-13, Hydroxyacetophenone, Palmitic Acid, Arachidyl Alcohol, C11-13 Isoparaffin, Stearic Acid, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isohexadecane, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Allantoin, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tromethamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Phytate, Cyanocobalamin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Ceteth-20 Phosphate
CleansingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Naringenin
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPanthenyl Triacetate
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningCetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientSphingolipids
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Gallyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Propyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Xylitol
Humectant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingIsoceteth-20
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Phytic Acid
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Propanediol, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hexyldecanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Ceteth-20 Phosphate, Anhydroxylitol, Ethyl Linoleate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Naringenin, Cyanocobalamin, Panthenyl Triacetate, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Bisabolol, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Sphingolipids, Phospholipids, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Propyl Gallate, Xylitol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Stearic Acid, Dicetyl Phosphate, Isoceteth-20, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Phytic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCyanocobalamin is the manufactured version of vitamin B12. It has skin soothing, antioxidant, and barrier protecting properties. Topical cyanocobalamin is used to treat skin irritation and atopic dermatitis.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Sphingolipids are a major class of lipids in cell membranes. This ingredient has emollient, skin conditioning, and skin protecting properties.
Certain ceramides are considered sphingolipids (Ceramide NS and Ceramid AP), but not all sphingolipids are ceramides.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
