What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Aminopropyl Dimethicone
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Stearyl Dihydroxypropyldimonium Oligosaccharides
Arginine
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Steartrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Honey
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Stearyl Pg-Dimethylamine
SurfactantIsoceteth-10
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ammonium Lactate
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Lactic Acid, Stearyl Dihydroxypropyldimonium Oligosaccharides, Arginine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Steartrimonium Chloride, Honey, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Stearyl Pg-Dimethylamine, Isoceteth-10, Propylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Ammonium Lactate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Carbonate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-55
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningCrambe Maritima Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingParfum
Masking
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-55, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Propanediol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Crambe Maritima Leaf Extract, Chlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Parfum, Ceteareth-20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Potassium Benzoate, Dimethicone, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAIsopropyl Alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. It is most commonly used as a solvent, meaning it helps other ingredients dissolve.
This ingredient is an astringent alcohol. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin as they high amounts may strip away your skin's natural oils.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Isopropyl AlcoholPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
