This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Hyaluronic Acid and Centella Asiatica Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Arnica Montana Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Carbomer, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Beeswax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Polysorbate 20, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Arnica Montana Extract
Reviews
Alternatives
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 AlcoholWater. 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
