What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingSerine
MaskingUrea
BufferingSorbitol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningRosa Moschata Seed Oil
EmollientAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasivePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingSorbic Acid
PreservativeAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Beta-Glucan, Cetearyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Serine, Urea, Sorbitol, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Sorbic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Oleate
Water
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveGlyceryl Distearate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDistearyldimonium Chloride
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Water, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Glyceryl Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Dimethicone, 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.
Oatmeal flour is created by grinding down the kernels of oats. Oatmeal helps sooth, hydrate, and protect the skin.
Oatmeal kernel flour has abrasive, or exfoliating, properties.
Learn all about the skin benefits of colloidal oatmeal here.
Learn more about Avena Sativa Kernel FlourBenzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl 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 AlcoholDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAPhenoxyethanol 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.
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 AcetateWater. 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