What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Musa Paradisiaca Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantLinalool
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetyl Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Musa Paradisiaca Fruit Juice, Glycine Soja Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Oleate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Salicylic Acid, Caramel, Linalool, Eugenol, Coumarin, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Amodimethicone
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantHc Blue No. 2
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Fumaric Acid
Buffering2-Nitro-5-Glyceryl Methylaniline
Hc Blue No. 6
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Trideceth-6, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, CI 60730, Hc Blue No. 2, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fumaric Acid, 2-Nitro-5-Glyceryl Methylaniline, Hc Blue No. 6
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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidWater. 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
