What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Amodimethicone
Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Hydrolyzed Theobroma Cacao Seed Meal
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Simethicone
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Amodimethicone, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hydrolyzed Theobroma Cacao Seed Meal, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ceteareth-20, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Panthenol, Aspartic Acid, Parfum, Cyclopentasiloxane, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, DMDM Hydantoin, Benzophenone-3, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Simethicone, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingGlycereth-26
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Glycereth-26, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Panthenol, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-40 Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Benzophenone-4, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, CI 19140, CI 14700
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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 AlcoholPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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
