What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isododecane
EmollientCera Alba
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingOryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningAllyl Stearate/Va Copolymer
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Polyvinyl Laurate
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientPropylene Carbonate
SolventHydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
PEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantIsododecane, Cera Alba, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Oryza Sativa Cera, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Water, Allyl Stearate/Va Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Polyvinyl Laurate, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Propylene Carbonate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, PEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Maltodextrin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, CI 77499
Isododecane
EmollientBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningAllyl Stearate/Va Copolymer
Oryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Polyvinyl Laurate
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Propylene Carbonate
SolventTalc
Abrasive
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
PEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate
Emulsifying
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantIsododecane, Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Water, Allyl Stearate/Va Copolymer, Oryza Sativa Cera, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Paraffin, Alcohol Denat., Polyvinyl Laurate, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Propylene Carbonate, Talc, Synthetic Beeswax, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, PEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate, Candelilla Cera, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Maltodextrin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, BHT, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.We don't have a description for Allyl Stearate/Va Copolymer yet.
Centaurea Cyanus Flower extract comes from the cornflower, Centaurea cyanus. The cornflower is native to Europe.
Cornflowers contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains high amounts of anxiotidants such as Vitamin C. They also contain flavonoids and anthocyanins.
Folk medicine in European cultures used cornflowers to help treat eye inflammation.
Fun fact: Cornflowers were used to determine if love was returned. Young men would wear cornflowers and if the color faded quickly, it meant the love was not reciprocated.
Learn more about Centaurea Cyanus Flower ExtractCi 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.
We don't have a description for Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer yet.
Disteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteEthylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer isn't fungal acne safe.
Isododecane is a fragrance, emollient, and solvent.
As an emollient, it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin.
Isododecane's role as a solvent makes it a great texture enhancer. It spreads smoothly on skin and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. Isododecane also helps prevent color transfer in makeup products.
Isododecane is not absorbed into skin.
The chemical name for this ingredient is 2,2,4,6,6-PENTAMETHYLHEPTANE.
Learn more about IsododecaneMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinOryza Sativa Bran Wax is wax from the outer layer of a rice kernel. It has moisturizing properties due to its polysaccharides and omega-3 fatty acids content.
This ingredient is a byproduct of milling rice, or the operation to produce a whole grain rice product.
We don't have a description for Oryza Sativa Cera yet.
Panthenol 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 PanthenolPEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (long name, huh?) is a synthetic antioxidant.
It is used to help stabilize other antioxidants or prevent the color from changing in a product.
As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Thus, antioxidants may reduce the signs of aging.
This ingredient is oil-soluble.
Learn more about Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl HydroxyhydrocinnamateWe don't have a description for Polyvinyl Laurate yet.
This ingredient is a solvent. It helps dissolve active ingredients and alter the texture of products.
Propylene Carbonate is commonly used in makeup and with clay, such as montmorillonite or bentonite.
Studies show this ingredient to be safe for cosmetics. When it is undiluted, it can cause skin irritation. (It is always diluted in skincare and makeup). This ingredient is water-soluble.
Propylene Carbonate is created from propylene glycol and carbonic acid.
Learn more about Propylene CarbonateThis ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilWe don't have a description for Vp/Eicosene Copolymer yet.
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
