What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
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 Phosphate
BufferingCholesterol
Emollient
Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
Antimicrobial
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Benzoic Acid
Masking
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 Phosphate, Cholesterol, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Disodium Phosphate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetrimonium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 60, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearalkonium Chloride
Preservative
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Mentha Citrata Oil
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Inga Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Oenocarpus Bataua Fruit Oil
Emollient
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Bacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Piper Nigrum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Foeniculum Vulgare Oil
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Yeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningAllium Sativum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningVanillin
Masking
Silicone Quaternium-3
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Caproyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearalkonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Esters, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Mentha Citrata Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Inga Alba Bark Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Oenocarpus Bataua Fruit Oil, Zea Mays Oil, Bacillus Ferment, Piper Nigrum Fruit Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Yeast Ferment Extract, Allium Sativum Bulb Extract, Vanillin, Silicone Quaternium-3, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Piroctone Olamine, Alcohol, Trideceth-12, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Caproyl Lactylate, Polysorbate 60, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Linalool, Limonene, Caramel
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Esters is a synthetic wax made up of mostly fatty acids and fatty alcohols. It is strcturally similar to wax taken from whales.
As an emollient, it creates a thin barrier on the skin. This barrier prevents moisture from escaping.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Cetyl EstersDisodium Phosphate is a water-soluble powder used as a pH adjuster and mild chelating agent. It basically holds a specific pH and binds stray metal ions so your product stays stable.
This ingredient is usually used at very low levels and concentrations range from 0.000054% - 2.9%. The CIR Expert Panel states this ingredient to be non-irritating at current use levels.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePolysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate is the lauric acid sodium salt of lactyl lactate.
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate is an emulsifier and surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. They do this by preventing ingredients from separating, such as oils and water which do not mix naturally. Surfactants reduce surface tension, making it easier to rinse pollutants off skin.
Due to its relation to lauric acid, it may provide antimicrobial benefits.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl LactylateSodium Phosphate is is behind-the-scenes formulation helper. Its main job is buffering, or locking in the product's pH.
This helps ensure the formula stays at its intended acidity through manufacturing, shipping, and sitting on your shelf. Many active ingredients like vitamin C or retinoids are pH sensitive so maintaining their happy pH range matters.
It is synthetic and reported use concentrations are very low (up to 0.086% in face powders).
Learn more about Sodium PhosphateWater. 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
