What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Zea Mays Starch, Coconut Alkanes, Niacinamide, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 11.5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 3%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Steareth-21
CleansingParfum
Masking
Polyacrylate-13
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Polyisobutene
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 11.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 3%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Steareth-2, Silica, Panthenol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Steareth-21, Parfum, Polyacrylate-13, Behenyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Polyisobutene, Arachidyl Glucoside, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polysorbate 20, Tropolone, Titanium Dioxide, Mica
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholCetearyl 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 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
