What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-7
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialParfum
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
PPG-3 Myristyl Ether
EmollientBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-7, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behentrimonium Chloride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Parfum, Persea Gratissima Oil, PPG-3 Myristyl Ether, Biotin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Panthenol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bis-Octyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate/Propanediol Copolymer
EmollientLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-34
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicInositol
Humectant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Menthol
Masking
Melatonin
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sarcosine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Olivate
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Bis-Octyldodecyl Dimer Dilinoleate/Propanediol Copolymer, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Caffeine, Mentha Piperita Oil, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Copper Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-34, Biotin, Inositol, Phytosterols, Menthol, Melatonin, Lactic Acid, Sarcosine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Potassium Olivate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Biotin is a B vitamin that is naturally produced by our bodies. It is also called Vitamin H.
Our bodies use biotin in the metabolism process. It also helps our bodies use enzymes and move nutrients around. A biotin deficiency can lead to brittle hair and nails.
More research is needed on applying biotin topically. However, taking biotin orally has been shown to help nourish the skin, hair, and nails. They play a role in forming skin-hydrating fatty acids.
Biotin is water-soluble. It can be found in foods such as fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and meat. Vitamin H stands for "haar" and "haut". These are the German words for hair and skin.
Learn more about BiotinCetearyl 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 AlcoholThis essential oil is steam-distilled from peppermint leaves, also known as peppermint oil. It's mainly used for scent in skincare but also provides that signature "cooling" sensation.
Peppermint oil is a "feels amazing" ingredient until it doesn't.
At higher doses or for those with sensitive skin, methol-type cooling can quickly turn into burning/irritation. It can also trigger irritant dermatitis or even allergic contact dermatitis. In a large patch-test dataset, peppermint oil had a low but positive rate for this.
In cosmetics, Cosmetic Safety Reviews (CIR) concludes that peppermint oil is safe to use when formulated to be non-sensitizing with some restrictions; for instance, pulegone, a naturally occurring component of peppermint oil, should not exceed 1%.
Since peppermint oil contains fragrance allergens such as limonene, linalool, and menthol, it can be sensitizing for those with rosacea, eczema, a broken skin barrier, or just sensitive skin in general.
In Japan, this ingredient is known as Hakka Yu.
Learn more about Mentha Piperita OilRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil is an essential oil also known as rosemary essential oil. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning agent and also acts as a natural fragrance that gives products a fresh/herby smell.
The oil is a mix of over 100 volatile compounds with 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, camphor, and verbenone usually leading the pack.
Lab studies credit this oil with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activity. Some research even show rosemary compounds calming acne-related inflammation.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be nonsensitizing.
Since this is a fragrant essential oil, the main concern is for fragrance-sensitive folks.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf OilWater. 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
