What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientCysteamine Hcl
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientLecithin
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantOctyldodecanol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientParfum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingBHT
AntioxidantTetrasodium EDTA
Hexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cysteamine Hcl, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Lecithin, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Octyldodecanol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Ceteareth-12, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Tocopherol, Beeswax, BHT, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCysteamine Hcl
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientLecithin
EmollientTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHeparan Sulfate
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-11
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingPolyacrylate-13
Butylene Glycol
HumectantEpilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningMannitol
HumectantErgothioneine
AntioxidantSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLysolecithin
EmulsifyingPolyisobutene
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingPullulan
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingParfum
MaskingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Water, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cysteamine Hcl, Niacinamide, C12-16 Alcohols, Lecithin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Heparan Sulfate, Polysilicone-11, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Polyacrylate-13, Butylene Glycol, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Mannitol, Ergothioneine, Sclerotium Gum, Lysolecithin, Polyisobutene, Decyl Glucoside, Pullulan, Aminomethyl Propanol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Parfum, Polysorbate 20, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA
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 AlcoholCysteamine Hcl is an antioxidant.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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 WaterXanthan 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