What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethicone
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSqualane
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-12
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyisobutene
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingZanthoxylum Bungeanum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Squalane, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Propanediol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dimethiconol, Oleyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-12, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyisobutene, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Fruit Extract, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Maltodextrin, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Nylon-12
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Glycine
CleansingMalus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides
EmollientHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Ammonium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingMethyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingIsobutyl Methyl Tetrahydropyranol
MaskingMethyl Decenol
Masking
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acetyl Glucosamine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Triethyl Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Dimethicone, Ethoxydiglycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Nylon-12, Isostearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Glycine, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Dimethiconol, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Lecithin, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Bisulfite, Disodium EDTA, Ammonium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylene Brassylate, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Isobutyl Methyl Tetrahydropyranol, Methyl Decenol, Caramel, CI 19140
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCaprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCeteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Disodium 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 EDTAGlyceryl 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 StearateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
