What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Polybutene
Silica
Abrasive
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Aminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingTri (Polyglyceryl-3/Lauryl) Hydrogenated Trilinoleate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Vp/Va Copolymer
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-10
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Alcohol Denat., Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Synthetic Beeswax, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Acacia Senegal Gum, Palmitic Acid, Hydrated Silica, Stearic Acid, Polybutene, Silica, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Tri (Polyglyceryl-3/Lauryl) Hydrogenated Trilinoleate, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Vp/Va Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
C18-36 Acid Triglyceride
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Polyisobutene
Isododecane
EmollientVp/Va Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Ethyl Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Disodium Cetyl Phenyl Ether Disulfonate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Iron Oxides
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Beeswax, C18-36 Acid Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Stearic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Polyisobutene, Isododecane, Vp/Va Copolymer, Glycerin, Silica, Ethyl Trisiloxane, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Myristic Acid, Isostearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Trisodium EDTA, Disodium Cetyl Phenyl Ether Disulfonate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Parfum, Iron Oxides, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Copernicia Cerifera Wax comes from a palm tree native to Brazil; another name for this ingredient is Carnauba Wax.
This ingredient is used to thicken texture and also leaves behind a film when applied.
Fun fact: This wax has the highest melting point of all natural waxes and low solubility.
Learn more about Copernicia Cerifera WaxGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidVP/VA Copolymer is a synthetic polymer made by joining two smaller molecules (vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl acetate) into a larger chain.
It is mainly used as a film-former and fixing agent. When a product dries, it creates a thin and flexible layer on the skin, hair, or nails. This film helps hold hairstyles into place, adds a smooth feel to skin, and traps moisture to reduce dryness.
Irritation is rare at normal concentrations and it doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
Learn more about Vp/Va CopolymerWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
