What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Tapioca Starch
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Carnitine
Cleansing
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingTrisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Homosalate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Octocrylene, Alcohol Denat., Tapioca Starch, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Cyclomethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Glycerin, Carnitine, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycol Palmitate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
C20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingArginine
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Oryza Sativa Hull Powder
Abrasive
Talc
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
Emollient
Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Eichhornia Crassipes Extract
Skin ConditioningInositol
Humectant
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialFagraea Berteroana Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Parfum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Glycol Palmitate, Dimethicone, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Benzyl Alcohol, C20-22 Alcohols, Capryloyl Glycine, Arginine, Tocopherol, Oryza Sativa Hull Powder, Talc, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Gluconate, Dimethiconol, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lauroyl Lysine, Eichhornia Crassipes Extract, Inositol, Ethyl Ferulate, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Fagraea Berteroana Flower Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol
Reviews
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 GlycerinSodium 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
