What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Bentonite
Absorbent
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Propanediol, Glycerin, CI 77891, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Starch, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Allantoin
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Perfluorodecalin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Taraxacum Officinale Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Sorokiniana Extract
Skin ConditioningRhizobian Gum
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-12
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPoloxamer 188
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Kaolin, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Glycerin, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Perfluorodecalin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Titanium Dioxide, Taraxacum Officinale Extract, Chlorella Sorokiniana Extract, Rhizobian Gum, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetyl Palmitate, Ceteareth-20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ceteareth-12, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, C14-22 Alcohols, Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether, Poloxamer 188, Polysorbate 60, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCeteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
