What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingSteareth-20
CleansingGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sargassum Filipendula Extract
Skin ProtectingSteareth-4
EmulsifyingRosa Damascena Flower Extract
Masking
Steareth-10
Emulsifying
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Sucrose Cocoate, Dimethicone, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Steareth-20, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Glycol Distearate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Steareth-4, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Steareth-10, Benzoic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Bisabolol, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Benzoate
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 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 GlycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolSodium 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
