What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acetamide Mea
HumectantQuaternium-91
Cetrimonium Methosulfate
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Polyquaternium-10
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Citral
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acetamide Mea, Quaternium-91, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Acetamide Mea
HumectantMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Polyquaternium-37
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientLauryl Glucoside
CleansingAmodimethicone
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingCeteareth-20
CleansingCetrimonium Methosulfate
AntimicrobialQuaternium-91
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Acetamide Mea, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Panthenol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Polyquaternium-37, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Lauryl Glucoside, Amodimethicone, Trideceth-12, Ceteareth-20, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Quaternium-91, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for Acetamide Mea yet.
Benzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
Learn more about Benzyl BenzoateCetearyl 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 AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
We don't have a description for Cetrimonium Methosulfate yet.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolWe don't have a description for Quaternium-91 yet.
Water. 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
