What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrideceth-10
CleansingDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Propanediol, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Betaine, Trehalose, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Olivate, Stearic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Palmitic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trideceth-10, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Arachidic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Myristic Acid, Oleic Acid, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Centella Asiatica Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol
