What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Cera
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Caffeine, Tocotrienols, Caramel, Sodium Gluconate, Sorbitan Stearate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Cera, Isopropyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16255
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantBertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Triethanolamine
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Niacinamide, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 15985, CI 16255, CI 42090, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Parfum, Triethanolamine, Tocopherol
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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
