What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Silica, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Zinc Oxide 9.4%
Cosmetic Colorant
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyester-5
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Urea
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide 9.4%, Water, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Polyester-5, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, C14-22 Alcohols, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethyl Ferulate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Bisabolol, Sodium Chloride, Phospholipids, Gluconolactone, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid, Urea, Phenoxyethanol, 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.
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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
