What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
CI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantCI 60725
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Esters, Cetrimonium Chloride, Parfum, CI 60730, CI 60725, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Amodimethicone
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantHc Blue No. 2
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Fumaric Acid
Buffering2-Nitro-5-Glyceryl Methylaniline
Hc Blue No. 6
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Trideceth-6, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, CI 60730, Hc Blue No. 2, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fumaric Acid, 2-Nitro-5-Glyceryl Methylaniline, Hc Blue No. 6
Reviews
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Chlorhexidine Digluconate is a preservative.
This ingredient is a purple dye. It is also known as Violet No. 2 or Acid Violet 43 and is a synthetic dye derived from coal tar.
According to a manufacturer, this dye it known for its intense color saturation and resistance to fading.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric AcidSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
