What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffin
PerfumingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingSteareth-20
CleansingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Sodium Polymethacrylate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Jojoba Oil
AbrasiveHydrogenated Palm Oil
EmollientParfum
MaskingPolyquaternium-10
Disodium EDTA
Magnesium Silicate
AbsorbentPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTin Oxide
AbrasiveBHT
AntioxidantCastanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, PEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone, Steareth-20, Phenethyl Alcohol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Sodium Polymethacrylate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Parfum, Polyquaternium-10, Disodium EDTA, Magnesium Silicate, Panthenol, Tin Oxide, BHT, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Mica, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffin
PerfumingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCera Alba
EmollientCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingSteareth-20
CleansingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Polymethacrylate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Jojoba Oil
AbrasiveHydrogenated Palm Oil
EmollientSimethicone
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-10
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Cera Alba, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Acacia Senegal Gum, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone, Steareth-20, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polymethacrylate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Simethicone, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-10, Panthenol, BHT, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acacia Senegal Gum has skin soothing, thickening, and formulation stabilizing properties. It comes from the Acacia tree that is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTCetyl 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 AlcoholCi 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
This ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Jojoba Oil is created from the process of converting jojoba oil to a solid or semi-solid. Jojoba oil has occlusive and emollient properties, making it a great hydrator.
Due to the solid structure of this ingredient, it provides abrasive or exfoliating properties.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Hydrogenated Jojoba OilHydrogenated Palm Oil is an oil and isn't fungal acne safe.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePanthenol 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 PanthenolParaffin is a solid created from petroleum. The term 'paraffin' can also refer to either
petroleum jelly or mineral oil.
It has natural occlusive properties which can worsen oily skin. Due to its petrolatum base, this ingredient is not fungal-acne safe.
PEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone is a type of silicone.
Phenethyl Alcohol is a colorless and aromatic alohol. It is naturally occuring in essential oils.
The scent of this ingredient is floral and often compared to rose.
Like other alcohols, this ingredient helps prevent the growth of bacteria. However, its main purpose is to impact a fragrance.
Learn more about Phenethyl 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.
Polyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.
This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.
For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.
Learn more about Polyquaternium-10Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateWe don't have a description for Sodium Polymethacrylate yet.
Steareth-20 is an emulsifier and solubilizer. It is created from stearyl alcohol with ~20 units of ethylene oxide to give it a strong preference for water.
As an emulsifier, it helps oil-in-water emulsions like lotions, creams, and cleansers stay stable. It also solubilizes small amounts of oil-loving ingredients (like fragrance) into water-based formulas.
You'll likely find this ingredient with steareth-2 (it's oil-loving sister) where the two work together to give products a cushiony feel.
Typical use levels sit at around 1-5% and this ingredient has been found to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel.
Learn more about Steareth-20Water. 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