What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
Skin ConditioningPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingArginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Algin
Cocos Nucifera Liquid Endosperm
Maris Aqua
HumectantChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Esters
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl Pg-Propyl Dimethicone
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-37
Bis-Ethyl(Isostearylimidazoline) Isostearamide
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPEG-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
PEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingStyrene/Butadiene Copolymer
Squalane
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantExtracts
CI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Palmitate, Stearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Phosphatidylcholine, Arginine Hcl, Hydrolyzed Algin, Cocos Nucifera Liquid Endosperm, Maris Aqua, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Esters, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl Pg-Propyl Dimethicone, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-37, Bis-Ethyl(Isostearylimidazoline) Isostearamide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PEG-4 Laurate, PEG-14m, Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer, Squalane, Citric Acid, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, Limonene, Parfum, CI 42090, Extracts, CI 60730, CI 19140
Zinc Pyrithione 0.5%
Antiseborrhoeic
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-180
HumectantAmodimethicone
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Phosphate
BufferingCholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
Antimicrobial
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Zinc Pyrithione 0.5%, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, PEG-180, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Trideceth-6, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Disodium Phosphate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetrimonium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Polysorbate 60, Benzoic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
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 Esters is an emollient with an interesting backstory: it's a synthetic wax originally designed to be a copy of spermaceti, a waxy material that used to be harvested from whales.
This ingredient delivers the same "velvety" feel without anything animal-derived (usually made from coconut or palm-sourced fatty alcohols/acids).
Chemically, it's a blend of esters from 14-18 fatty acids and alcohols that is a solid at room temperature but melts on contact with skin. It helps soften and smooth the skin while improving the feel and spread of products.
Typical use concentrations range from 1-10% (most commonly 2-5%).
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded it's safe as used and has shown no skin irritation in available studies.
Because it's a blend of fatty acid esters in the chain-length range that Malassezia can feed on, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetyl EstersHydroxyethylcellulose 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 HydroxyethylcelluloseIsopropyl Alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. It is most commonly used as a solvent, meaning it helps other ingredients dissolve.
This ingredient is an astringent alcohol. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin as they high amounts may strip away your skin's natural oils.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Isopropyl AlcoholPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
