What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethyl Sulfone
SolventBetaine
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingElaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientElaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCalamine
AbsorbentDimethicone
EmollientIllicium Verum Fruit Extract
PerfumingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantEthyl Hexanediol
SolventAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Zinc Oxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethyl Sulfone, Betaine, Polysorbate 60, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Calamine, Dimethicone, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Ethyl Hexanediol, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningMethyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSulfur
AntiseborrhoeicAcacia Senegal Gum
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Denatonium Benzoate
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Alcohol
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Methyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sulfur, Acacia Senegal Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Denatonium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene 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 GlycerinXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum