What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningVp/Va Copolymer
Bentonite
Absorbent
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lanolin Cera
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cera Alba
Emollient
C18-36 Acid Triglyceride
EmollientTribehenin
Emollient
PEG-40 Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Potassium Stearate
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingGeranium Maculatum Extract
TonicTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientBenzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Nylon-10/10
Laurtrimonium Chloride
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Iron Oxides
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Vp/Va Copolymer, Bentonite, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Lanolin Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lanolin Cera, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cera Alba, C18-36 Acid Triglyceride, Tribehenin, PEG-40 Castor Oil, Parfum, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Potassium Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, CI 77891, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrated Silica, Pvp, Diheptyl Succinate, Benzophenone-4, Isopropyl Alcohol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Nylon-10/10, Laurtrimonium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vp/Va Copolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Vinyl Caprolactam/Vp/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiethylhexyl Adipate
EmollientPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Laurtrimonium Chloride
Emulsifying
PEG-45m
HumectantCitronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Synthetic Beeswax, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Ozokerite, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Vinyl Caprolactam/Vp/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Diethylhexyl Adipate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Laurtrimonium Chloride, PEG-45m, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, CI 42090, CI 17200, CI 16035, CI 19140, CI 15985
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 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 GlycerinIsopropyl Alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. It is most commonly used as a solvent, meaning it helps other ingredients dissolve.
This ingredient is an astringent alcohol. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin as they high amounts may strip away your skin's natural oils.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Isopropyl AlcoholLaurtrimonium Chloride is a preservative.
Parfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
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 GlycolVP/VA Copolymer is a synthetic polymer made by joining two smaller molecules (vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl acetate) into a larger chain.
It is mainly used as a film-former and fixing agent. When a product dries, it creates a thin and flexible layer on the skin, hair, or nails. This film helps hold hairstyles into place, adds a smooth feel to skin, and traps moisture to reduce dryness.
Irritation is rare at normal concentrations and it doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
Learn more about Vp/Va CopolymerWater. 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
