What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
Emollient
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil
Masking
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingLavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Octanal
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylamide
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingZinc Pyrithione
Antiseborrhoeic
Water, Butylene Glycol, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trisiloxane, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Azelaic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil, Ethylene Brassylate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Laureth-7, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Octanal, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Petrolatum, Phenoxyethanol, Phytosterols, Polyacrylamide, Polysorbate 60, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Zinc Pyrithione
Water
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Ceteareth-33
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientOleoyl Dipeptide-15
Skin Conditioning
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSilica
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Oleoyl Tetrapeptide-31
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Triethylhexanoin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ceteareth-20, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Ceteareth-33, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Retinal, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Oleoyl Dipeptide-15, Mica, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica, BHT, Oleoyl Tetrapeptide-31, Tocopherol, Titanium Dioxide, Caramel, CI 17200
Reviews
Alternatives
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
