What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Sprout
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrolyzed Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPyrus Malus Pulp Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Aloe Barbadensis Sprout, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Squalane, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Dimethyl Sulfone, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Allantoin, Piroctone Olamine, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Panthenol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Pyrus Malus Pulp Extract, Tocopherol, Humulus Lupulus Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCeteareth-20
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
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 GlycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolWater. 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
