What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Inositol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
C9-11 Pareth-6
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water, Isohexadecane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Inositol, Glycerin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, C9-11 Pareth-6, Allantoin, Parfum, DMDM Hydantoin, Sodium Lactate, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Diethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventSqualane
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hexanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Squalane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cyanocobalamin, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Bisabolol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Ceramide Ns, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Asiaticoside
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeWater. 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
