What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
AbsorbentPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Saccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
Wine Extract
Antioxidant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Pullulan
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Dimethicone, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycerin, Isododecane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Jojoba Esters, Saccharide Isomerate, Coco-Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Polysorbate 60, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Wine Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Bisabolol, Lecithin, Pullulan, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polyglutamic Acid, Silica, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Ceramide EOP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbitan Stearate, Methyl Gluceth-20, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Aminomethyl Propanol, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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
