What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolyimide-1
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningParaffin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cera Alba
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
PEG-45 Stearate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/Va Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
BHT
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Serica Powder
Skin ConditioningCI 77120
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77266
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffin, Acrylates Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Cera Alba, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, PEG-45 Stearate, Acrylates/Va Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Pvp, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, BHT, Hydrolyzed Silk, Serica Powder, CI 77120, CI 77266
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 GlycolThis ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseParaffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
