What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMethylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Betaine
HumectantCitrus Sinensis Fruit Extract
AntioxidantTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantRosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantBHT
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Niacinamide, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Betaine, Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, BHT, Parfum, CI 15985, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingC30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantTranexamic Acid
AstringentDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCoptis Chinensis Root Extract
AntioxidantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Centella Asiatica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Trehalose, Caprylyl Methicone, C12-14 Pareth-12, Carbomer, Tromethamine, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tranexamic Acid, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ng, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
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.
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 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum