What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
C9-12 Alkane
SolventAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyurethane-10
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Triethanolamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Petrolatum, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Trehalose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentylene Glycol, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Triheptanoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, C9-12 Alkane, Allantoin, Polyurethane-10, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Carbomer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ceteareth-20
CleansingStearoxytrimethylsilane
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cyclopentasiloxane, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceteareth-20, Stearoxytrimethylsilane, Stearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Farnesol, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Dimethiconol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
