What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHexanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantQuassia Amara Wood Extract
Skin ConditioningSpilanthes Acmella Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTapioca Starch
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningC15-19 Alkane
SolventSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
EmulsifyingAmmonium Lactate
BufferingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Polyglycerin-6
HumectantParfum
MaskingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hexanediol, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Betaine, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Quassia Amara Wood Extract, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Urea, Caffeine, Tocopherol, Tapioca Starch, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, C15-19 Alkane, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Ammonium Lactate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polyglycerin-6, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTapioca Starch
Polysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylamide
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tapioca Starch, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyacrylamide, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Titanium Dioxide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-7, Tocopheryl Acetate
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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneTapioca starch is a thickening agent and is made from the cassava root, also known as yucca.
According to a manufacturer, it is an excellent talc replacement.
It is gluten-free.
Learn more about Tapioca StarchWater. 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