What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Mel
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Hordeum Vulgare Cera
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Mel, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cera Alba, Tocopherol, Parfum, Coco-Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Cera, Tropolone, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
