What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Moschata Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Maltodextrin, Sodium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate
SolventPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate/Caprate
StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Calcium PCA
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCarrageenan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate/Caprate, Stearic Acid, Magnesium PCA, Persea Gratissima Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Calcium PCA, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Citric Acid
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.
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 AlcoholPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilWater. 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
