What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientAmodimethicone
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-37
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientLauryl Glucoside
CleansingDivinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
C11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingLaureth-9
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingC12-13 Pareth-23
CleansingC12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
EmollientPropoxytetramethyl Piperidinyl Dimethicone
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcetic Acid
BufferingSodium Acetate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Cetrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Persea Gratissima Oil, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Dimethicone, Amodimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyquaternium-37, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Lauryl Glucoside, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, C11-15 Pareth-7, Laureth-9, Glycerin, Trideceth-12, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Dimethiconol, Propoxytetramethyl Piperidinyl Dimethicone, Trideceth-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Hydroxide, Acetic Acid, Sodium Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPhyllostachys Nigra Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAmodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer
Lactic Acid
BufferingTrideceth-5
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialDimethiconol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPropanediol
SolventPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantQuaternium-95
UV AbsorberDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCI 47005
Cosmetic ColorantCI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Phyllostachys Nigra Leaf Extract, Amodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Lactic Acid, Trideceth-5, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Quaternium-95, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 47005, CI 61570, CI 42090
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
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 AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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