What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPEG-8 Beeswax
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingSambucus Nigra Seed Oil
PEG-60 Almond Glycerides
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveAvena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantLecithin
EmollientBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingAcacia Decurrens Flower Wax
EmollientRosa Multiflora Flower Wax
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen
CleansingWater
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPadina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-8 Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Sambucus Nigra Seed Oil, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Silica, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax, Glycerin, Lecithin, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Rosa Multiflora Flower Wax, Tocopherol, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentUsnea Barbata Extract
Butylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningCitrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningFumaria Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningFumaric Acid
BufferingEchinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Fumaria Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Fumaric Acid, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Aminomethyl Propanol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Disodium EDTA
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 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 Water