What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningElaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Nylon-12
Parfum
Masking
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Bidens Pilosa Extract
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Papaver Somniferum Seed Oil
Emollient
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
PEG-75 Stearate
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tromethamine
BufferingTeprenone
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cycnoches Cooperi Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Acetyl Hexapeptide-51 Amide
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Nylon-12, Parfum, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Papaver Somniferum Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, PEG-75 Stearate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tromethamine, Teprenone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cycnoches Cooperi Flower/Leaf Extract, Propylene Glycol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Amyl Cinnamal, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Salicylate, Tropolone, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-51 Amide, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Paraffin
Perfuming
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
PEG-100 Stearate
Polysilicone-11
C13-14 Alkane
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Hexyldecanol, Dimethicone, Paraffin, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyacrylamide, Panthenol, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hydroxyacetophenone, Laureth-7, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, PEG-100 Stearate, Polysilicone-11, C13-14 Alkane, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AlcoholCetyl 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 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 GlycerinTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
