What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningRhus Verniciflua Peel Cera
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingVp/Eicosene Copolymer
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Shorea Robusta Resin
TonicHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trimethyl Pentanyl Diisobutyrate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Nitrate
SoothingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Butylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Shorea Robusta Resin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trimethyl Pentanyl Diisobutyrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Nitrate, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Magnesium Silicate
AbsorbentHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77499
Cosmetic Colorant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acacia Senegal Gum has skin soothing, thickening, and formulation stabilizing properties. It comes from the Acacia tree that is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Copernicia Cerifera Wax comes from a palm tree native to Brazil; another name for this ingredient is Carnauba Wax.
This ingredient is used to thicken texture and also leaves behind a film when applied.
Fun fact: This wax has the highest melting point of all natural waxes and low solubility.
Learn more about Copernicia Cerifera WaxEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
