What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingIsostearic Acid
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPentane
SolventTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Octyldodecanol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Iron Oxides
Water, Zinc Oxide, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Isostearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Pentane, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Chloride, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Disodium EDTA, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterDibutyl Adipate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientTris-Biphenyl Triazine
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethyl Caprylate
Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientCanola Oil
EmollientSilica
AbrasivePotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberVp/Eicosene Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeSqualane
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Olivoyl Glutamate
CleansingSorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDecyl Glucoside
CleansingBenzoic Acid
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium Phosphate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine, Glycerin, Phenoxyethyl Caprylate, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Canola Oil, Silica, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Trehalose, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Olivoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Caprylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Decyl Glucoside, Benzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
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.
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 GlycerinSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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