What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Nylon-11
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-21
CleansingSteareth-2
EmulsifyingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Pumice
Abrasive
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids
CleansingGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingHypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingGentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Pearl Powder
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
PEG-32
HumectantPEG-6
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water, Silica, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Nylon-11, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Steareth-21, Steareth-2, Jojoba Esters, Pumice, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Pearl Powder, Bisabolol, Acetyl Glucosamine, PEG-32, PEG-6, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Coco-Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Maleate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentCaviar Extract
Skin ConditioningCaulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Rna
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pullulan
Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyisobutene
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Steareth-20
CleansingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSucrose Stearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Oleate
CleansingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Maleate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycoproteins, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Caviar Extract, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Ceramide NP, Rna, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Dna, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Pullulan, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Tetrapeptide-3, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Polyisobutene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Biotin, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Steareth-20, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Propylene Glycol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sucrose Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Oleate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Chrysin, Parfum, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 19140, CI 16035
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinParfum 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 ParfumSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
