What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Water, Isopentyldiol, Jojoba Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Retinol, Squalane, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Citric Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Glycine Soja Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Ergothioneine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingDistearyldimonium Chloride
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningStearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceteareth-25
CleansingBehenic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylparaben
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Petrolatum, Steareth-21, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Jojoba Esters, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Methyl Gluceth-20, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Ubiquinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Ceteareth-25, Behenic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Polysorbate 60, Propylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, EDTA, Parfum
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl 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 AlcoholJojoba Esters is a wax created from Jojoba oil. It is an emollient and film-forming ingredient. In bead form, it is an exfoliator.
This ingredient has high oxidative stability, meaning it doesn't break down when exposed to oxygen.
Its similarity to our skin's natural oils makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe our skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, keeping skin hydrated.
It is created using either the hydrogenation or transesterification processes on jojoba oil.
Learn more about Jojoba EstersWater. 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
