What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSantalum Austrocaledonicum Wood Oil
Masking
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Adenine
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carnitine
Cleansing
Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tributyl Citrate
Masking
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Dextran
Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Phenyl T-Butylnitrone
Antioxidant
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Cetyl Alcohol, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Santalum Austrocaledonicum Wood Oil, Disodium Phosphate, Phospholipids, Ubiquinone, Sodium Phosphate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Adenine, Caprylyl Glycol, Carnitine, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Alcohol Denat., Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Dextran, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Phenyl T-Butylnitrone, Thioctic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate
Emulsifying
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Terminalia Arjuna Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Tetrapeptide-30
Skin Conditioning
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil
Masking
Juniperus Mexicana Wood Oil
Perfuming
Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil
Masking
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Terminalia Arjuna Bark Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Tetrapeptide-30, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Wood Oil, Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phytate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol Denat., Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
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.Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl 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 AlcoholCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil is oil from the peel of an orange fruit.
Limonene and linalool make up the majority of oils from citrus peels. Limonene has a "citrus" fragrance. Citrus peels also contain flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
Citrus peel is also a rich source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are natural antioxidants and help protect your skin against damage. Flavonoids are a group of compounds naturally found in vegetables and fruits.
The term '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.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel OilEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
