This acne moisturizer is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract to clear breakouts and fade the look of dark spots.
This moisturizer is formulated around Petrolatum to hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 0.5%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Root Extract
BleachingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPPG-5-Laureth-5
EmollientPolyquaternium-11
Ceteareth-20
Cleansing
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Salicylic Acid 0.5%, Water, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Kojic Acid, Zinc Gluconate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Squalane, Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, PPG-5-Laureth-5, Polyquaternium-11, Ceteareth-20, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polysorbate 60, Hexylene Glycol, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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 AlcoholWater. 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
