What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLeontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCommiphora Myrrha Oil
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose
Absorbent
Fructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCalcium Gluconate
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Coco-Caprylate, Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oryza Sativa Starch, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Isostearic Acid, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Inulin, Cellulose, Fructose, Glucose, Hydroxystearic Acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Tris-Biphenyl Triazine
UV Absorber
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Silica
Abrasive
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingDiethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Silver Chloride
Preservative
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Octocrylene, Glycerin, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Piroctone Olamine, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Silica, Disodium Phosphate, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Silver Chloride
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 GlycerinWater. 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
