What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingBetaine
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingAcetyl Hexapeptide-37
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPentapeptide-48
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, Maltodextrin, Pentapeptide-48
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCyclomethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTropolone
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Triethanolamine
BufferingCoptis Japonica Extract
AntimicrobialAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Extensin
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Water, Stearic Acid, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Butylene Glycol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Trehalose, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tropolone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Triethanolamine, Coptis Japonica Extract, Adenosine, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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