What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingPetrolatum
EmollientSorbitol
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingPPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDisodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Petrolatum, Sorbitol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate Se, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Carbomer, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Stearic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Parfum, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalool, CI 42090, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingGlycereth-26
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Stearate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Benzophenone-4
UV AbsorberParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialMethylparaben
PreservativeEthylparaben
PreservativeCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Glycereth-26, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Panthenol, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-40 Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Benzophenone-4, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, CI 19140, CI 14700
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 AlcoholCI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didnāt promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumWater. 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