What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlumina
AbrasiveCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMenthyl Lactate
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Magnesium Oxide
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Alumina, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Allantoin, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Menthyl Lactate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Magnesium Oxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Salicylic Acid
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningJuglans Regia Shell Powder
AbrasiveGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientZea Mays Kernel Meal
AbrasiveCetyl Alcohol
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCetyl Acetate
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-20
CleansingAcetylated Lanolin Alcohol
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Benzoic Acid
MaskingSorbic Acid
PreservativePrunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSalicylic Acid, Water, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Kernel Meal, Cetyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ceteareth-20, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 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 StearateParfum 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 ParfumPeg-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.
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 Water