What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSh-Polypeptide-50
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Dimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Chloride, Sh-Polypeptide-50, Avena Sativa Peptide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, CI 19140, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCeteareth-20
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Isopropyl Myristate, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Saccharide Isomerate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Ceteareth-20, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate
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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
