What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantApium Graveolens Seed Extract
AntioxidantCetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium Phosphate
BufferingHydrated Silica
AbrasivePropanediol
SolventSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSodium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Hydrated Silica, Propanediol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Phosphate
Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBetaine
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingParfum
MaskingQuaternium-91
Isopropyl Alcohol
SolventCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingHydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTrimethylsiloxyamodimethicone
Butylene Glycol
HumectantCetrimonium Methosulfate
AntimicrobialHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantCinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientGalactoarabinan
C11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingSalvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTrehalose
HumectantXylitol
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin ConditioningC12-16 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingSodium Phosphate
BufferingMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantMoringa Oleifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientCereus Grandiflorus Extract
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantPhalaenopsis Amabilis Flower Extract
BleachingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Betaine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetrimonium Chloride, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Parfum, Quaternium-91, Isopropyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycerin, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Galactoarabinan, C11-15 Pareth-7, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Trehalose, Xylitol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, C12-16 Pareth-9, Trideceth-12, Sodium Phosphate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Cereus Grandiflorus Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Phalaenopsis Amabilis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholThis ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilGlycerin (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 PanthenolSodium Phosphate is is behind-the-scenes formulation helper. Its main job is buffering, or locking in the product's pH.
This helps ensure the formula stays at its intended acidity through manufacturing, shipping, and sitting on your shelf. Many active ingredients like vitamin C or retinoids are pH sensitive so maintaining their happy pH range matters.
It is synthetic and reported use concentrations are very low (up to 0.086% in face powders).
Learn more about Sodium PhosphateWater. 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