What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Glyceryl Distearate
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprae Lac
Skin ConditioningLactose
HumectantMilk Protein
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Mel Extract
MoisturisingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Betaine, Glyceryl Distearate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Xylitylglucoside, Propanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprae Lac, Lactose, Milk Protein, Lactic Acid, Tocopherol, Mel Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Bisabolol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Xylitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Anhydroxylitol, Parfum, Stearic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, T-Butyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate
Water
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Lunaria Annua Seed Oil
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Squalane
Emollient
Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
MaskingSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Lunaria Annua Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Squalane, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AlcoholPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
