What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
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
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantTriethylhexanoin
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientHydrogenated Rapeseed Glycerides
EmulsifyingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientUbiquinone
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarrageenan
Agar
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientSodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
CleansingSorbitan Palmitate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Paraffinum Liquidum, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Glycerides, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glycosyl Trehalose, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ubiquinone, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carrageenan, Agar, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Parfum, Caramel, Iron Oxides
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.
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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic 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