What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Amodimethicone
Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone
Dicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingCetyl Esters
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copolymer
Acetic Acid
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
C11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingC12-16 Alketh-9
EmulsifyingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingTrideceth-15
EmulsifyingTrideceth-3
EmulsifyingTrisodium Hedta
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Hexamethylindanopyran
Masking
Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Squalane, Amodimethicone, Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Cetyl Esters, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Cetrimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol, Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copolymer, Acetic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-16 Alketh-9, Trideceth-12, Trideceth-15, Trideceth-3, Trisodium Hedta, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Hexamethylindanopyran
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Lanolin Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone PEG-7 Cocoate
Emollient
Tridecyl Stearate
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Lanolin Oil, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone PEG-7 Cocoate, Tridecyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Panthenol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholWe don't have a description for Dicetyldimonium Chloride yet.
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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenyl Trimethicone is a silicon-based polymer. It is derived from silica.
Phenyl Trimethicone is used as an emollient and prevents products from foaming.
As an emollient, it helps trap moisture in the skin. It is considered an occlusive.
Learn more about Phenyl TrimethiconeWater. 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
