What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Stearate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Germ Oil
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Tallowate
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cocoate
Cleansing
Tetrasodium EDTA
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tetrasodium Etidronate
Emulsion StabilisingNonfat Dry Milk
Skin ConditioningEtidronic Acid
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Lauric Acid, Sodium Tallowate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Synthetic Wax, Sodium Isethionate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Nonfat Dry Milk, Etidronic Acid, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77491, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningPumice
Abrasive
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Steareth-20
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Pumice, Glycolic Acid, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, CI 77891, Sodium Hydroxide, Jojoba Esters, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Bisabolol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Steareth-20, Xanthan Gum, Steareth-21, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol
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 AlcoholCi 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Glycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
