What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Tetradecenyl/Methylpentadecene
SolventPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Benzyl Alcohol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Dimethicone, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Stearyl Alcohol, Isododecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Tetradecenyl/Methylpentadecene, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, CI 14700, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantMyristyl Myristate
EmollientLauryl Laurate
Skin ConditioningTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingOryzanol
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Laurate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBoswellia Carterii Oil
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientBoswellia Serrata Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantGlucose
HumectantParfum
MaskingZea Mays Oil
EmulsifyingDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Myristyl Myristate, Lauryl Laurate, Triheptanoin, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Cetearyl Glucoside, Oryzanol, Myristyl Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Carbomer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tocopherol, Glucose, Parfum, Zea Mays Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl 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 AlcoholCetearyl Ethylhexanoate is derived from cetearyl alcohol and sorbic acid.
It is an emollient and helps hydrate the skin. Emollients form a barrier on the skin to prevent water from escaping.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinMyristyl Myristate is created from the fatty acids of myristyl alcohol and myristic acid. In skincare, it is an emollient and texture enhancer.
On its own, this ingredient has a comedogenicity index of 5/5. This means it has the potential to clog pores. When diluted with cetyl alcohol or propylene glycol, the comedogenicity will decrease.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Nutmeg, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil all contain this ingredient naturally.
Learn more about Myristyl MyristateParfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWheatgerm oil is a yellow/reddish oil derived from germs on the common wheat. It is rich in Vitamin E, an ingredient with many skin benefits.
About 80% of the oil is made up of fatty acids. The majority of these include linoleic acid and linolenic acid.
Studies show this oil can aid in wound healing and soothing inflammation.
This ingredient may not be acne or fungal-acne safe.
Sometimes, the Vitamin E derived from wheat germ can contain gluten. However, most plant derived oil is processed to remove all proteins.
Learn more about Triticum Vulgare Germ OilWater. 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