What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCalamine
AbsorbentDimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Citrus Species Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Methylpropanediol
SolventLaurylpyridinium Chloride
AntimicrobialPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Water, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Alcohol Denat., Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Calamine, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Stearate, Allantoin, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Zinc PCA, Bisabolol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citrus Species Leaf Oil, Methylpropanediol, Laurylpyridinium Chloride, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea 40%
Buffering
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Dodecane
Emollient
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ceteareth-2
EmulsifyingWater, Urea 40%, Paraffinum Liquidum, Triethanolamine, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Dodecane, Salicylic Acid 2%, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Glycerin, Allantoin, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-2
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateThis tea tree oil comes from the leaves of the Tea Tree plant. Tea tree oil has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
According to the book Journal of Profiles of Drug Substances, tea tree helps in reducing acne-causing bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes. This is due to the Terpinen components of tea tree oil.
Tea tree may cause sensitivity and irritation for some people. This oil naturally contains fragrance such as linalool and limonene.
However, research shows irritation usually occurs when using pure tea tree oil and not in cosmetic products.
Tea tree oil was found to help relieve the symptoms of psoriasis in one study.
Tea tree oil is toxic when ingested. Another study showed it to caused damage to the nervous system of dogs and cats when applied to their skin or given orally.
Learn more about Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf OilPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidWater. 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
