What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBetaine
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCellulose
Absorbent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Stearoxymethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
Emollient
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Disodium EDTA
Escin
TonicDimethiconol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Marrubium Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTin Oxide
Abrasive
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Mitracarpus Scaber Extract
Skin ConditioningCapsicum Annuum Fruit Extract
Antimicrobial
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingFurcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, CI 77891, Cellulose, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Stearoxymethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Caffeine, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacrylate, Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Disodium EDTA, Escin, Dimethiconol, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Tocopherol, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Tin Oxide, Sodium Benzoate, Mitracarpus Scaber Extract, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Maris Sal, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
AbsorbentChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRuscus Aculeatus Root Extract
Astringent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Sclareolide
Masking
Rose Flower Oil
Masking
Jasminum Officinale Extract
Masking
Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Squalane, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Chlorphenesin, Xanthan Gum, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopherol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Adenosine, Linalool, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Limonene, Citral, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sclareolide, Rose Flower Oil, Jasminum Officinale Extract, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Citric Acid
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 AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilTocopherol 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
