What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polysilicone-11
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Polysilicone-11, Butylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Oleate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
C15-19 Alkane
SolventBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
PEG-8
HumectantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Menthone Glycerin Acetal
Refreshing
Menthol
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
CI 12490
Cosmetic ColorantCI 74160
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Kaolin, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Behenyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, PEG-8, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Betaine, Silica, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Titanium Dioxide, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, Menthol, Lactic Acid, Parfum, CI 12490, CI 74160
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Octenidine Hcl yet.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
