What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Tapioca Starch
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Carnitine
Cleansing
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin, Urea, Glyceryl Stearate, Dibutyl Adipate, Stearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Tapioca Starch, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Lactic Acid, Sodium PCA, Arginine Hcl, Glycine, Alanine, Carnitine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCocoglycerides
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
Bleaching
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arctium Lappa Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Tapioca Starch
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cocoglycerides, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dibutyl Adipate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arctium Lappa Fruit Extract, Tapioca Starch, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Chloride, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
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 AlcoholDibutyl Adipate is a lightweight, oil-soluble ester that acts as an emollient and solvent. It helps products spread more easily and leaves a soft, silky, dry-touch finish without being greasy.
You'll likely see this ingredient in sunscreens because it does a nice job dissolving UV filters and keeping them evenly distributed.
This ingredient has been found to be safe as used in cosmetics, wasn't a skin or eye irritant in clinical patch testing, and wasn't phototoxic.
In a clinical comedogenicity test, this ingredient tested negative so it isn't likely to clog pores.
Typical use levels are about 5-8% for sunscreens + nail products, but can range from 0.005%-8% depending on the product.
Learn more about Dibutyl AdipateGlycerin (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 StearatePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholTapioca starch is a thickening agent and is made from the cassava root, also known as yucca.
According to a manufacturer, it is an excellent talc replacement.
It is gluten-free.
Learn more about Tapioca StarchXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
