What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolybutene
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCera Alba
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Hydrogenated Palm Oil
Emollient
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Propyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Polybutene, Paraffin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Cera Alba, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Steareth-2, Cetyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Panthenol, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Propylene Glycol, Propyl Gallate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffin
Skin ConditioningBambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Polybutene
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingNylon-6
Papaver Somniferum Seed Oil
Emollient
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract
MaskingTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningAframomum Melegueta Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHelichrysum Italicum Extract
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Paraffin, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Synthetic Wax, Stearic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum, Butylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Polybutene, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Ozokerite, Aminomethyl Propanol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Stearyl Stearate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Nylon-6, Papaver Somniferum Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Silica, Tropolone, Aframomum Melegueta Seed Extract, Helichrysum Italicum Extract
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.
This ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
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 HydroxyethylcelluloseParaffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPolybutene is used to help control the viscosity of a product. This just means it helps adjusts the texture.
It is a polymer and does not get absorbed into the skin due to its large size.
Studies found this ingredient did not irritate skin in concentrations below 15%.
Learn more about PolybuteneWater. 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
