What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPetrolatum
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract
EmollientPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllium Fistulosum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Magnesium Salicylate
Preservative
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantManganese Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMeadowfoam Estolide
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Trisiloxane, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Beeswax, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Gluconolactone, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dipropylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allium Fistulosum Bulb Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Arachidyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Behenyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Calcium Gluconate, Carbomer, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cetyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate, Magnesium Salicylate, Magnesium Stearate, Manganese Gluconate, Meadowfoam Estolide, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Phytosphingosine, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Zinc Stearate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Petrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract is extract from Apples. Apples are rich in Vitamin C, sugars, and antioxidants.
The sugar in Apples are humectants and help hydrate the skin. On top of that, apples also contain some acids, such as malic acid. These acids may have a mild exfoliating effect.
Last, the phytochemicals found in apples are strong antioxidants. These antioxidants help with anti-aging as they protect your skin cells against oxidative damage.
Learn more about Pyrus Malus Fruit ExtractWater. 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
