What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
No benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Triethyl Citrate
MaskingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
BufferingCholesterol
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
MaskingWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Lactate, Cholesterol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Benzoic Acid
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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