What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingTrehalose
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Malt Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Saussurea Involucrata Extract
HumectantGeraniol
Perfuming
Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Triethylhexanoin, Trehalose, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Parfum, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Benzyl Salicylate, BHT, Propylene Glycol, Sucrose Cocoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Malt Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Saussurea Involucrata Extract, Geraniol, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Ethyl Hexanediol, CI 15985, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arginine
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Snail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Palmitic Acid, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Adenosine, Water, Myristic Acid
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 AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthyl Hexanediol is an aliphatic alcohol. It is a solvent.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolStearic 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
