What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Triethanolamine
BufferingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77266
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acrylates Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Cera Microcristallina, Silica, Polyethylene, Triethanolamine, Decyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77266
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Polyisobutene
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingDodecane
Emollient
C20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Isoceteth-20
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Silicate
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Polyisobutene, Butylene Glycol, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Dodecane, C20-22 Alcohols, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, Methyl Gluceth-20, Isoceteth-20, Stearic Acid, Allantoin, Alumina, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Silicate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.
After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.
It is also used to make a product more thick.
Learn more about Acrylates CopolymerCetearyl 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 AlcoholCopernicia 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 WaxEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic 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 AcidWater. 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
