What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingSargassum Filipendula Extract
Skin ProtectingLitchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract
Skin ConditioningGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingAlgin
Masking
Carrageenan
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Chitosan
Cetearamidoethyldiethonium Succinoyl Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
CleansingCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningDihydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
HumectantSilicone Quaternium-3
PEG-14
HumectantPEG-33
HumectantPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-37
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Behentrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Litchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Algin, Carrageenan, Coco-Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Sorbitol, Chitosan, Cetearamidoethyldiethonium Succinoyl Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Cetrimonium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Dihydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Silicone Quaternium-3, PEG-14, PEG-33, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Polyquaternium-37, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Trideceth-12, Cetyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Glycerin, Isopropyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Water
Skin ConditioningBrassica Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate
Emulsion StabilisingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isododecane
EmollientCetyl Esters
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Water, Brassica Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Phenoxyethanol, Isododecane, Cetyl Esters, Behentrimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Reviews
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Cetyl 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 AcidThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChloridePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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
