What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientSorbitol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPotassium Lauryl Phosphate
Dimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingMethylparaben
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
HumectantUrea
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantCyclomethicone
EmollientSodium Lactate
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingMethylpropanediol
SolventOctyldodecanol
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientTapioca Starch
Glyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientArginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantDimethiconol
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingCarnitine
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningMannitol
HumectantSerine
MaskingSucrose
HumectantCitrulline
Skin ConditioningGlycogen
HumectantAlanine
MaskingThreonine
Glutamic Acid
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin, Urea, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Cyclomethicone, Sodium Lactate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methylpropanediol, Octyldodecanol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Tapioca Starch, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Arginine Hcl, Sodium PCA, Dimethiconol, Lactic Acid, Carnitine, Ceramide NP, Mannitol, Serine, Sucrose, Citrulline, Glycogen, Alanine, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, 1,2-Hexanediol
Reviews
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol