What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer
Cera Alba
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Cera Alba, Butylene Glycol, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Stearic Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Aminomethyl Propanol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Water, Acrylates Copolymer, Paraffin, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cera Microcristallina, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Paraffinum Liquidum, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Polysorbate 80, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene 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.
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 AlcoholParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
