What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-75 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ceteth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-20
CleansingCeteareth-20
CleansingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-75 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Squalane, Dimethicone, Ceteth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Steareth-20, Ceteareth-20, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopherol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Distearyldimonium Chloride
Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Silk Amino Acids
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTribehenin
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
PEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
EDTA
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Water, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Steareth-21, Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Ceramide Ng, Polysorbate 60, Methyl Gluceth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Hydroxyacetophenone, Silk Amino Acids, Potassium Hydroxide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tribehenin, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Parfum, EDTA, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
