What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Hydrolyzed Algae Extract
Skin ConditioningSerenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lamium Album Flower Extract
AstringentPinus Sylvestris Cone Extract
Masking
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHedera Helix Extract
AntimicrobialArnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Allium Sativum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Algae Extract, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Panthenol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Allantoin, Butylene Glycol, Lamium Album Flower Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Cone Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hedera Helix Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Allium Sativum Bulb Extract, Parfum, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Oryza Sativa
Milk
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingUlmus Fulva Bark Extract
MoisturisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Diethyl Phthalate
Masking
Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sorbitol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa, Milk, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Ceteareth-20, Ulmus Fulva Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Diethyl Phthalate
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 AlcoholWater. 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
