What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientVinyldimethicone
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
AntioxidantSaccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate
HumectantLactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientOleic Acid
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPropanediol
SolventAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Diisostearyl Malate, Vinyldimethicone, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Oleic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Propanediol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningRosa Moschata Seed Oil
EmollientVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingMalva Sylvestris Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningViola Tricolor Extract
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBenzoic Acid
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeLecithin
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Coco-Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Malva Sylvestris Flower/Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
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 GlycerinWater. 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