What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopentyldiol
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningC13-15 Alkane
SolventGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientSalicylic Acid
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Honey Extract
HumectantPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1
EmollientAroma
Ormenis Multicaulis Oil
MaskingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingInulin
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCellulose
AbsorbentFructose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentLimonene
PerfumingWater, Isopentyldiol, Lactic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C13-15 Alkane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Potassium Hydroxide, Isoamyl Laurate, Salicylic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Honey Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Lauroyl Lysine, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cellulose Gum, Lecithin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Aroma, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Inulin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Behenyl Alcohol, Cellulose, Fructose, Glucose, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSaccharomyces Ferment
Skin ConditioningCetyl Tranexamate Mesylate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientCaprylyl Glyceryl Ether
CleansingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingStearic Acid
CleansingArginine
MaskingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Aspergillus Ferment, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Saccharomyces Ferment, Cetyl Tranexamate Mesylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Palmitic Acid, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Alternatives
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 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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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