What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Althaea Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
EmollientChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEquisetum Arvense Leaf Extract
AstringentAngelica Archangelica Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Glycerin, Panthenol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Althaea Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Angelica Archangelica Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientBrassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-10
Vp/Va Copolymer
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Polyisobutene
Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract
AstringentPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentTamarindus Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract
MaskingPectin
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Diheptyl Succinate, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Persea Gratissima Oil, Lactic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Vp/Va Copolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Polyisobutene, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Tamarindus Indica Fruit Extract, Propanediol, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Pectin, Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tartaric Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Extract
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.
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 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 Water
