What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmollientDodecane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingSpondias Mombin Pulp Extract
Skin ConditioningMusa Sapientum Pulp Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Pulp Extract
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentGardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingEthylene Brassylate
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingSorbic Acid
PreservativeCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Dodecane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Spondias Mombin Pulp Extract, Musa Sapientum Pulp Extract, Mangifera Indica Pulp Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ethylene Brassylate, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, CI 17200, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Stearate
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
EmulsifyingTapioca Starch
Carnitine
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningArginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantHistidine
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingMannitol
HumectantArginine
MaskingSerine
MaskingSucrose
HumectantPCA
HumectantCitrulline
Skin ConditioningGlycogen
HumectantAlanine
MaskingThreonine
Glutamic Acid
HumectantLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Urea, Glycerin, Isopropyl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glyceryl Glucoside, Sodium Lactate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Tapioca Starch, Carnitine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Arginine Hcl, Sodium PCA, Histidine, Lactic Acid, Mannitol, Arginine, Serine, Sucrose, PCA, Citrulline, Glycogen, Alanine, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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