What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Amodimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
CI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantCI 60725
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-4
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Isopropyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-4, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, 2,3-Butanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP
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.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinIsopropyl Alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. It is most commonly used as a solvent, meaning it helps other ingredients dissolve.
This ingredient is an astringent alcohol. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin as they high amounts may strip away your skin's natural oils.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Isopropyl AlcoholPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
