What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Adipate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingTromethamine
BufferingPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-15
UV FilterPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Palmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingMethylpropanediol
SolventPolyether-1
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantActinidia Arguta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantNelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Dibutyl Adipate, Propanediol, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Triazone, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Methicone, Pentylene Glycol, Polysilicone-15, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Methylpropanediol, Polyether-1, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Polyquaternium-51, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Myristic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Actinidia Arguta Fruit Extract, Madecassoside, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Asiatic Acid, Tocopherol
Zinc Oxide 20.5%
Cosmetic ColorantBentonite
AbsorbentBisabolol
AntioxidantButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientGalactoarabinan
Glycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientPolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide 20.5%, Bentonite, Bisabolol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Diheptyl Succinate, Galactoarabinan, Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Jojoba Esters, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopherol, Water
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 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 Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.
It is an emulsifier, emollient, and a surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate CitrateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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