What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Amodimethicone
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Ceteareth-25
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-37
Parfum
Masking
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Magnesium Nitrate
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Magnesium Chloride
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Ceteareth-25, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-37, Parfum, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dimethiconol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Butylene Glycol, Trideceth-12, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Magnesium Nitrate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Cocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Soybean Oil
Emollient
Polyquaternium-37
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceteareth-20
CleansingTapioca Starch
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Diazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Water, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Cocos Nucifera Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Microcrystalline Wax, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Polyquaternium-37, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Stearic Acid, Ceteareth-20, Tapioca Starch, Propylene Glycol, DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Parfum
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 AlcoholCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlyceryl 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 StearateIsopropyl Myristate is an emollient, thickening agent, and texture enhancer. It is created from isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid.
It is used to help other ingredients be better absorbed. It is also an emollient and may help soften and hydrate the skin.
The comedogenic rating of this ingredient depends on the concentration. Lower amounts results in a lower rating.
Isopropyl Myristate may not be fungal acne safe. It can potentially worsen acne prone skin.
Learn more about Isopropyl MyristateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumWe don't have a description for Polyquaternium-37 yet.
We don't have a description for PPG-1 Trideceth-6 yet.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolThis ingredient is an emollient designed to leave a non-greasy feel. It is also a skin conditioning agent and viscosity modifier.
Skin irritation studies for this ingredient (up to 80%) showed mimimal to no irritation.
One thing worth knowing: this ingredient may enhance the skin penetration of other ingredients.
Overall, this ingredient is a well-tolerated and lightweight emollient.
Learn more about Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/DicaprateWater. 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
