What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSilica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Volcanic Ash
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Bentonite
Absorbent
Kaolin
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pvp
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingJuglans Regia Shell Powder
Abrasive
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Polyacrylate-13
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantMannitol
Humectant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPolyisobutene
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantMenthoxypropanediol
Masking
Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-10
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, CI 77891, Silica, Glycerin, Trehalose, Volcanic Ash, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Kaolin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pvp, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-100 Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, CI 77499, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Xanthan Gum, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Sorbitan Stearate, Zea Mays Starch, Polyacrylate-13, Polysorbate 20, CI 77492, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Metaphosphate, Lactic Acid, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyisobutene, CI 77491, Menthoxypropanediol, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polyquaternium-10, Lecithin, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid 8%
Buffering
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Powder
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingOryza Sativa Bran Water
Masking
Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract
Abrasive
Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Geranium Robertianum Extract
AstringentPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHectorite
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid 8%, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Powder, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Potassium Hydroxide, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Geranium Robertianum Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Acer Saccharum Extract, Panthenol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hectorite, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate
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 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 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 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
