What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Lecithin
Emollient
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Squalene
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Oleth-10 Carboxylic Acid
CleansingBHA
Antioxidant
Toluene
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningEDTA
Propylene Glycol, Urea, Lecithin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Carbomer, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Squalene, PEG-40 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glycol Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Oleth-10 Carboxylic Acid, BHA, Toluene, Water, EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCholesterol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingIsostearic Acid
Cleansing
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water, Glycolic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Ammonium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cholesterol, Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Isostearic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlyceryl 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 StearateMagnesium Aluminum Silicate is a type of silica. It comes from naturally occuring minerals such as silicate ores and clay.
Magnesium aluminum silicate is used for enhancing texture and as an absorbent. Due to its large molecular size, it is unable to be absorbed into the skin.
Like other types of silica, this ingredient can be used to thicken a product. As an absorbent, it may be used to absorb extra water or help prevent clumping.
Although “aluminum” in an ingredient name can raise red flags for some consumers, the form and usage context matter significantly. For typical topical applications, there is no substantial evidence of health risks - such as cancer, neurotoxicity, or systemic “aluminum overload.”
Learn more about Magnesium Aluminum SilicatePeg-40 Stearate is a waxy solid made up of polyethylene glycol and stearic acid. It is an emulsifier and cleanser. Emulsifiers help oils and water mix.
Stearic acid is a a fatty acid. Therefore, Peg-40 stearate may not be fungal-acne safe.
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 GlycolStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
