Cantu Shea Butter For Natural Hair Coconut Curling Cream Versus John Frieda Frizz Ease Weightless Wonder Featherlight Smoothing Crème
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCanola Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Ceteareth-20
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
PEG-75
HumectantPolyquaternium-10
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Mangifera Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Silk Amino Acids
HumectantMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentLonicera Caprifolium Extract
AstringentVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Water, Canola Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Ceteareth-20, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Petrolatum, PEG-75, Polyquaternium-10, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Mangifera Indica Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Silk Amino Acids, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium Benzoate, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Aminopropyl Dimethicone
Parfum
Masking
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantQuaternium-91
Cetrimonium Methosulfate
AntimicrobialButylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Malic Acid
Buffering
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Geraniol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Stearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Propylene Glycol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Parfum, Dimethiconol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dipropylene Glycol, Quaternium-91, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Linalool, Limonene, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexyl Cinnamal, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Geraniol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
