What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPropylparaben
Preservative
Stearamide Amp
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glyceryl Stearate, Petrolatum, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Propylparaben, Stearamide Amp, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxystearic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningElaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Ormenis Multicaulis Oil
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-8 Stearate
Emulsifying
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cellulose
Absorbent
Sodium Acetate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15510
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Petrolatum, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEG-8 Stearate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Butylene Glycol, Cellulose, Sodium Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, CI 19140, CI 15510
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.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 StearateParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol 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 Water
