What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Pyrithione 0.5%
Antiseborrhoeic
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-180
HumectantAmodimethicone
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Phosphate
BufferingCholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
Antimicrobial
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Zinc Pyrithione 0.5%, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, PEG-180, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Trideceth-6, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Disodium Phosphate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetrimonium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Polysorbate 60, Benzoic Acid
Zinc Pyrithione 1%
Antiseborrhoeic
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Quaternium-18
Polyquaternium-37
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Menthol
Masking
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientQuaternium-80
Polyquaternium-10
Propanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Zinc Pyrithione 1%, Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Betaine, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Quaternium-18, Polyquaternium-37, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Phytosterols, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Mentha Piperita Oil, Piroctone Olamine, Menthol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Quaternium-80, Polyquaternium-10, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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 WaterZinc Pyrithione is a preservative. It inhibits the multiplying of fungal and bacterial cells.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in Malassezia treatments. In the US, this ingredient is most common in anti-dandruff shampoos. However, the European Union has prohibited the use of this ingredient starting in 2022.
