What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Silicone Quaternium-18
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-37
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Castor Seed Oil/Olive Fruit Oil/Sphinganine Amides/Esters
Antioxidant
Urtica Dioica Extract
AstringentTilia Cordata Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Silicone Quaternium-18, Panthenol, Octyldodecanol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-37, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Castor Seed Oil/Olive Fruit Oil/Sphinganine Amides/Esters, Urtica Dioica Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine Lactate
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bambusa Vulgaris Shoot Extract
Antioxidant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Urtica Dioica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningFumaric Acid
BufferingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phytic Acid
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Fructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Menthol
Masking
Pinene
Masking
Camphor
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Beta-Caryophyllene
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine Lactate, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Inulin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Shoot Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Urtica Dioica Root Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Fumaric Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytic Acid, Maltodextrin, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Phenoxyethanol, Menthol, Pinene, Camphor, Limonene, Beta-Caryophyllene
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 AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChloridePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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
