What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Calamine
AbsorbentCeteareth-25
CleansingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Isopropyl Dibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberDimethicone
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Zinc Oxide, Calamine, Ceteareth-25, Titanium Dioxide, Isopropyl Dibenzoylmethane, Dimethicone, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ceteareth-12, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetyl Palmitate, Parfum, Lactic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, CI 77492, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Tannic Acid
AstringentMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Calamine
AbsorbentMalpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Stearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Lauryl Alcohol, Tannic Acid, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Glucose, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Hyaluronic Acid, Calamine, Malpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Phytosterols, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Calamine is a "pink powder" that is used to calm itchy or irritated skin. In official medical standards, calamine is basically almost all zinc oxide with a tiny bit of iron oxide added for the pink color.
Lab testing requires that it’s at least 98% zinc oxide, which just means it has to be very pure and mostly zinc oxide.
In skincare, calamine can help relieve itches, calm skin, and absorb excess moisture/oil. This is why you'll often see it used for oozing rashes. Calamine is approved as a skin protectant active at 1-25% in US OTC drug products.
A big part of calamine's soothing effect comes from zinc oxide's protective properties. Since calamine can absorb excess moisture/oil, it might be drying for already dry skin types.
A review of topical medicament allergies notes that contact dermatitis from calamine isn't typically reported, but added actives in a formulation are known sensitizers.
Learn more about CalamineCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
