What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tapioca Starch
Methylparaben
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Propylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Stearamide Amp
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Glycol Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Petrolatum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Triethanolamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Tapioca Starch, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Parfum, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Stearamide Amp, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyquaternium-10
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Propyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Water, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Panthenol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Oleic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Parfum, Sodium Salicylate, Sodium Benzoate, Propyl Gallate, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA
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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilParfum 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 ParfumStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic 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
