What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingMenthol
Masking
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Withania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLecithin
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Madecassoside, Inulin, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Menthol, Trehalose, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Bisabolol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Menthyl Lactate, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Lecithin, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Lactis Proteinum
Skin ConditioningAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Porphyridium Cruentum Extract
Skin ConditioningCinnamyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Cuminum Cyminum Seed Oil
Masking
Water, Propylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, C12-16 Alcohols, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Parfum, Papain, Chlorphenesin, Lactis Proteinum, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Disodium EDTA, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Citral, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Cuminum Cyminum Seed Oil
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.
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 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SeHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed 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
