What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Quaternium-18
Lanolin
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Keratin Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningCocoyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
Cleansing
Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen
Cleansing
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Rice Protein/Siloxysilicate
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCitric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Quaternium-18, Lanolin, Cetyl Alcohol, Keratin Amino Acids, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Rice Protein/Siloxysilicate, Oryza Sativa Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Palmitate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract
EmollientJojoba Esters
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningSqualene
Emollient
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Distearyldimonium Chloride
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
EDTA
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Jojoba Esters, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Steareth-21, Whey Protein, Squalene, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Phytosterols, Ubiquinone, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Sodium Lactate, Bisabolol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Methyl Gluceth-20, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Tocopherol, Potassium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Butylene Glycol, EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 Water
