What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
AbsorbentChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRuscus Aculeatus Root Extract
Astringent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Sclareolide
Masking
Rose Flower Oil
Masking
Jasminum Officinale Extract
Masking
Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Squalane, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Chlorphenesin, Xanthan Gum, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopherol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Adenosine, Linalool, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Limonene, Citral, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sclareolide, Rose Flower Oil, Jasminum Officinale Extract, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
PEG-75
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientPEG-8
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract
MaskingRosa Damascena Extract
MaskingRibes Nigrum Bud Extract
Perfuming
Cinnamomum Camphora Leaf Extract
MaskingBenzaldehyde
Masking
Hexenyl Acetate
Masking
Gamma-Decalactone
Perfuming
Ionone
Astringent
Ethyl Acetate
Perfuming
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose
Humectant
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningCladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Gelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Pantethine
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Punica Granatum Sterols
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Oryzanol
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Essential Oils
Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethyl Urea, PEG-75, Dimethicone, Persea Gratissima Oil, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, PEG-8, Glycereth-26, Sorbitan Stearate, Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Osmanthus Fragrans Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Ribes Nigrum Bud Extract, Cinnamomum Camphora Leaf Extract, Benzaldehyde, Hexenyl Acetate, Gamma-Decalactone, Ionone, Ethyl Acetate, Alcohol, Linalool, Limonene, Isopropyl Isostearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Sucrose, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caffeine, Oryza Sativa Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Pantethine, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Punica Granatum Sterols, Sorbitol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oryzanol, Trehalose, Bisabolol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Dextrin, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Essential Oils
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 AlcoholLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolThis ingredient is the oil from the apricot.
Apricot Kernel Oil is an emollient and helps soften skin. This is due to its fatty acid components. Some of these fatty acids include linoleic and oleic acid.
This ingredient also has antioxidant properties from Vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Besides being antioxidants, these vitamins provide plenty of skin benefits as well.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilWater. 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
