What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Malic Acid
Buffering
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCamphor
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citral
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil
Masking
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Octanal
Perfuming
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Pinene
Masking
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Quercetin
Antioxidant
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Butylene Glycol, Trisiloxane, Petrolatum, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Glycerin, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Beeswax, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Polyacrylamide, Glyceryl Stearate, Malic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Camphor, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Citral, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil, Ethylene Brassylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Octanal, Persea Gratissima Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Phoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract, Phytosphingosine, Phytosterols, Pinene, Polysorbate 60, Quercetin, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Prunus Cerasus Juice
Skin ConditioningMyrciaria Dubia Fruit Juice
Antioxidant
Citrus Limon Juice
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Juice
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Daucus Carota Sativa Extract
Perfuming
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Milk
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingZea Mays Silk Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Germ Extract
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingGardenia Florida Oil
Tonic
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Myristica Fragrans Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSqualane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Argania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningIsomalt
HumectantAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Citrus Limon Peel
MaskingMalpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEmblica Officinalis Fruit
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Tapioca Starch
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Prunus Cerasus Juice, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Juice, Citrus Limon Juice, Pyrus Malus Juice, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Milk, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Zea Mays Silk Extract, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Pectin, Gardenia Florida Oil, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Myristica Fragrans Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glycerin, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Salicylate, Lactic Acid, Argania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract, Isomalt, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Emblica Officinalis Fruit, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Cocos Nucifera Water, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Tapioca Starch, Thioctic Acid, Ubiquinone, Oenothera Biennis Oil
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 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 Glycerin
