What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogen Peroxide
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingParfum
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantDisodium Pyrophosphate
BufferingMethylparaben
Preservative
Oxyquinoline Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phosphoric Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Triticum Vulgare Gluten
HumectantWater, Hydrogen Peroxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Parfum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cetrimonium Chloride, Ethoxydiglycol, Disodium Pyrophosphate, Methylparaben, Oxyquinoline Sulfate, Dimethicone, Phosphoric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Cellulose Gum, Glycerin, Sorbitan Laurate, Silica, Benzoic Acid, Triticum Vulgare Gluten
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogen Peroxide
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Disodium Pyrophosphate
BufferingPhosphoric Acid
BufferingAminotrimethylene Phosphonic Acid
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Oxyquinoline Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dioleyl Phosphate
BufferingOleth-5 Phosphate
SurfactantAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Hydrogen Peroxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Cetrimonium Chloride, Disodium Pyrophosphate, Phosphoric Acid, Aminotrimethylene Phosphonic Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Oxyquinoline Sulfate, Dimethicone, Cellulose Gum, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Stearate, Dioleyl Phosphate, Oleth-5 Phosphate, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Sorbitol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cellulose Gum is a water-soluble polymer that comes from cellulose. It is used to change the texture of a product and to help stabilize emulsions.
As an emulsifier, cellulose gum specifically thicken the texture of water-based products.
This ingredient is considered hypoallergenic and non-toxic. Cellulose Gum can be found in cosmetics, food, and other household goods such as paper products.
Learn more about Cellulose GumCeteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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 AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeWe don't have a description for Disodium Pyrophosphate yet.
Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWe don't have a description for Hydrogen Peroxide yet.
Oxyquinoline Sulfate is a type of sulfate.
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhosphoric acid is used to adjust the pH of products.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Water. 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
