What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethiconol
EmollientRetinol
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
CleansingOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-4
Skin ConditioningGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientLecithin
EmollientEthylhexyl Cocoate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTribehenin
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantTriethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Dimethiconol, Retinol, Ceramide Ns, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Oryza Sativa Extract, Hexapeptide-9, Dipeptide-4, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Oil, Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tribehenin, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Laureth-7, Parfum, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, CI 16035, CI 19140, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Glycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingIsohexadecane
EmollientIsopropyl Isostearate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDimethicone
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeInositol
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Parfum
MaskingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientBHT
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Zinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningCopper Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isohexadecane, Isopropyl Isostearate, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Inositol, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, PEG-100 Stearate, Parfum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Copper Gluconate
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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Disodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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