What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Hexyl Laurate
Emollient
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Stearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Carbonate
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Paraffinum Liquidum, Cera Microcristallina, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Paraffin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycine Soja Sterols, Hexyl Laurate, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Persea Gratissima Oil, Propylene Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Tocopherol, BHT, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Citric Acid
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 Alcohol
