What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientParfum
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialAmodimethicone
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingChlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
AntimicrobialHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Parfum, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Sodium Benzoate, Isopropyl Alcohol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Benzyl Salicylate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Trideceth-6, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Hexyl Cinnamal, Geraniol, Amyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Citronellol, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Glycerin
HumectantBis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone
Pearl Powder
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCalcium Carbonate
AbrasiveCalcium Sodium Borosilicate
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
AbrasivePolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingCeteareth-7
EmulsifyingCeteareth-25
CleansingLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingAmodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer
Trideceth-5
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glycerin, Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone, Pearl Powder, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Panthenol, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Polysorbate 80, Ceteareth-7, Ceteareth-25, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Amodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Trideceth-5, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 ParfumSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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