What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV FilterSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientInulin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantParfum
MaskingPropylene Glycol
HumectantLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialPolysilicone-11
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lactate
BufferingBHA
AntioxidantSalvia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialGlucose
HumectantSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Inulin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Parfum, Propylene Glycol, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Allantoin, Mandelic Acid, Polysilicone-11, Decyl Glucoside, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Ammonium Lactate, BHA, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Glucose, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientXylitylglucoside
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAnhydroxylitol
HumectantPEG-100 Stearate
Bisabolol
AntioxidantButyl Avocadate
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingPropyl Gallate
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Xylitylglucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Anhydroxylitol, PEG-100 Stearate, Bisabolol, Butyl Avocadate, Xylitol, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Carbomer, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Parfum, Propyl Gallate, Citric Acid
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.
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 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 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 ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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