What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tris-Biphenyl Triazine
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alumina
Abrasive
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Simethicone
Emollient
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Silver Chloride
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDiethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glycerin, Octocrylene, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Titanium Dioxide, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Panthenol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Aminomethyl Propanol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Phenoxyethanol, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alumina, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Simethicone, Piroctone Olamine, Decyl Glucoside, Silver Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Propylene Glycol
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methyl Dihydroabietate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingEthyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningPolyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Zinc Oxide, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methyl Dihydroabietate, Sorbitan Olivate, Coco-Glucoside, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Ethyl Ferulate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Lecithin, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Isostearic Acid
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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
