What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethyl Acetate
Perfuming
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyl Acetate
MaskingCellulose Acetate Butyrate
Acrylates Copolymer
Acetyl Tributyl Citrate
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientBenzophenone-1
UV Absorber
Etocrylene
UV AbsorberDimethicone
Emollient
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
CI 60725
Cosmetic ColorantEthyl Acetate, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Acetate, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Acrylates Copolymer, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Benzophenone-1, Etocrylene, Dimethicone, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 60725
Ethyl Acetate
Perfuming
Butyl Acetate
MaskingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Nitrocellulose
Acrylates/Hydroxyesters Acrylates Copolymer
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Acetyl Tributyl Citrate
Masking
Adipic Acid
BufferingDipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientEtocrylene
UV AbsorberBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Campestris Flower Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 60725
Cosmetic ColorantEthyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Alcohol Denat., Nitrocellulose, Acrylates/Hydroxyesters Acrylates Copolymer, Isopropyl Alcohol, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Adipic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Etocrylene, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone, CI 42090, CI 60725
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acetyl Tributyl Citrate is a fragrance.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.We don't have a description for Butyl Acetate yet.
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil comes from the seeds of the safflower plant. It is a skin conditioning agent that helps soften skin and keep it hydrated.
This seed oil has an unusual fatty acid profile: it is one of the highest linoleic acid plant oils out there (~55-77%). It also has low amounts of oleic acid, and this high-linoleic/low-oleic ratio gets people excited.
Linoleic acid helps maintain skin barrier integrity and is a building block for the ceramides in your stratum corneum. Notably, people with acne tend to have lower linoleic acid in their skin lipids as well (and this gets worse as acne gets more severe).
Overall, it's a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil that has a long safety track record. Lab testing has found it to be non-irritating for skin or eyes.
The Malassezia yeast can metabolize the fatty acids in this oil to grow; therefore this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilThis synthetic colorant is used to add a violet color to products. It is water-soluble.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeWe don't have a description for Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate yet.
Ethyl Acetate is a fragrance.
We don't have a description for Etocrylene yet.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate
