What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Steareth-20
CleansingBacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
Emollient3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Caffeine, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ferulic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Steareth-20, Bacillus Ferment, Glyceryl Caprylate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Beta-Carotene, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Potassium Sorbate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Coerulea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Kaolin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Propanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Nymphaea Coerulea Flower Extract, CI 17200
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 AlcoholDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateWater. 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
