What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientOleyl Erucate
EmollientMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCandelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientRosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingHeptyl Undecylenate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract
AstringentGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientCalcium Gluconate
HumectantHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Wheat Starch
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingAlcohol
AntimicrobialGeranyl Acetate
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil
AstringentHeliotropine
MaskingJuniperus Virginiana Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Oil
MaskingStyrax Tonkinensis Resin Oil
PerfumingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingEugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
MaskingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingJasminum Grandiflorum Flower Extract
MaskingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Vegetable Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Oleyl Erucate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Gluconolactone, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Heptyl Undecylenate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Aminomethyl Propanol, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Oleate, Calcium Gluconate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Sodium Chloride, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Butylene Glycol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Geranyl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil, Heliotropine, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Styrax Tonkinensis Resin Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Jasminum Grandiflorum Flower Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Limonene, Eugenol, Geraniol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeQuaternium-91
Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSilicone Quaternium-16
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Myristate
EmollientPolysilicone-29
Undeceth-11
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButyloctanol
HumectantUndeceth-5
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Glycerin
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingHydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract
Arginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Histidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-91, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dipropylene Glycol, Silicone Quaternium-16, Myristyl Myristate, Polysilicone-29, Undeceth-11, Behentrimonium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butyloctanol, Undeceth-5, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycine, Alanine, Panthenol, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine
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 GlycerinOenothera Biennis Oil is the fixed oil derived from the seeds of the Evening Primrose.
Evening primrose oil is rich in fatty acids. These fatty acids include linoleic (60-85%), oleic (5-12%), palmitic (4-10%), and stearic (2-4%).
The fatty acid composition makes it a great ingredient for soothing and moisturizing skin. However, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.
Further research is needed on the role of evening primrose in treating eczema.
Evening primrose is native to North America.
Learn more about Oenothera Biennis OilPhenoxyethanol 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 Water