What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Oil
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRubus Chamaemorus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Isononyl Isononanoate, Squalane, Steareth-21, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Steareth-2, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Extract, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Isohexadecane, Allantoin, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Arginine, Parfum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polysorbate 80, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sorbitan Oleate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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
