What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octyldodecyl Ricinoleate
EmollientQuaternium-91
Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCetyl Esters
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone PEG-7 Isostearate
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
PEG-7 Amodimethicone
Humectant
PEG-45m
HumectantAmodimethicone
Disodium EDTA
Polysilicone-15
UV Filter
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
C11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
C12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingC12-13 Pareth-23
CleansingVitis Vinifera
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-9
EmulsifyingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract
Skin Conditioning
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Acetic Acid
BufferingSodium Acetate
BufferingTocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate
Antioxidant
Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate
Humectant
Pseudozyma Epicola/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Quaternium-95
UV AbsorberPropanediol
Solvent
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
PEG-8
HumectantBis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Extract
AstringentMorinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Palmitoyl Myristyl Serinate
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicCitral
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
PEG-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
PEG-4 Dilaurate
Emulsifying
PEG-4
HumectantEtidronic Acid
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Octyldodecyl Ricinoleate, Quaternium-91, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Cetrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetyl Esters, Behentrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Phospholipids, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Dimethicone PEG-7 Isostearate, Glycine Soja Oil, PEG-7 Amodimethicone, PEG-45m, Amodimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Polysilicone-15, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, C11-15 Pareth-7, Sodium Polyacrylate, C12-13 Pareth-3, C12-13 Pareth-23, Vitis Vinifera, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Laureth-9, Trideceth-12, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Acetic Acid, Sodium Acetate, Tocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate, Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate, Pseudozyma Epicola/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Quaternium-95, Propanediol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, PEG-8, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Punica Granatum Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Myristyl Serinate, BHT, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Biotin, Citral, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Chlorphenesin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, PEG-4 Laurate, PEG-4 Dilaurate, PEG-4, Etidronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientC10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Ceteth-20
CleansingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Esters
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Octanal
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract
EmollientPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
Emollient
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingBlue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Petrolatum, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Laureth-23, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Ceteth-20, Cetearyl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetyl Esters, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil, Disodium EDTA, Ethylene Brassylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Menthol, Octanal, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Phoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract, Phosphatidylcholine, Phytosterols, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triethanolamine, Blue 1 Lake
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 AlcoholCetyl Esters is an emollient with an interesting backstory: it's a synthetic wax originally designed to be a copy of spermaceti, a waxy material that used to be harvested from whales.
This ingredient delivers the same "velvety" feel without anything animal-derived (usually made from coconut or palm-sourced fatty alcohols/acids).
Chemically, it's a blend of esters from 14-18 fatty acids and alcohols that is a solid at room temperature but melts on contact with skin. It helps soften and smooth the skin while improving the feel and spread of products.
Typical use concentrations range from 1-10% (most commonly 2-5%).
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded it's safe as used and has shown no skin irritation in available studies.
Because it's a blend of fatty acid esters in the chain-length range that Malassezia can feed on, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetyl EstersDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis 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 OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
