What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-6
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Disiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Polyacrylate
StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
C13-16 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Laureth-30
CleansingC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGeraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ubiquinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-6, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Disiloxane, Ammonium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Laureth-30, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Polyacrylamide, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPectin
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Rhododendron Ferrugineum Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningIsomalt
HumectantLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Triethanolamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBHT
Antioxidant
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Cetyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Xanthan Gum, Pectin, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Serine, Arginine, Proline, Disodium EDTA, Octyldodecanol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Rhododendron Ferrugineum Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Isomalt, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Ubiquinone, Panthenol, Caffeine, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, BHT
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlyceryl 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 StearateParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10) is a molecule already found in our bodies. It is a potent antioxidant and skin-soothing ingredient.
Aging and environmental exposure diminishes our skin's natural ubiquinone levels. This is much like our natural collagen and elastin.
The good news is: studies show applying this ingredient topically replenishes ubiquinone levels in our skin. This also comes with a ton of skin benefits. These benefits include:
Ubiquinone is considered a large molecule and cannot be absorbed into the lower layers of skin. This is why it is believed to be such an effective antioxidant: it protects our skin in the upper layers and prevents damage in the deeper layers.
When used in sunscreen, ubiquinone is shown to increase ingredient stability, increase SPF factor, and add to infrared protection.
Fun fact: ubiquinone is fat-soluble.
Learn more about UbiquinoneWater. 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 WaterXanthan 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
