What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phytantriol
HumectantMentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentLawsonia Inermis Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentHoney
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Polysorbate 20, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Panthenol, Phytantriol, Mentha Piperita Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Lawsonia Inermis Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Honey, Biotin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Polyquaternium-37
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningSteareth-2
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Parfum, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Glucose, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyquaternium-37, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Steareth-2, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Oleate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Chlorphenesin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, CI 15985, CI 19140, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal
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.
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.
Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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
