What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhysalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingCastanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientCholesterol
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diheptyl Succinate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Physalis Angulata Extract, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytosphingosine, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol
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 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 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