What's inside
What's inside
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Pinene
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Rose Ketones
Perfuming
Vanillin
Masking
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geranyl Acetate
Perfuming
Beta-Caryophyllene
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Terpineol
Masking
Terpinolene
Perfuming
Alpha-Terpinene
Perfuming
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat., Parfum, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil, Linalyl Acetate, Pinene, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Rose Ketones, Vanillin, Citral, Citronellol, Geranyl Acetate, Beta-Caryophyllene, Benzyl Alcohol, Terpineol, Terpinolene, Alpha-Terpinene, Water
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Pinene
Masking
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Benzaldehyde
Masking
Tetramethylcyclohexanepropanol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Geranyl Acetate
Perfuming
Terpinolene
Perfuming
Terpineol
Masking
Beta-Caryophyllene
Masking
Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Linalyl Acetate, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Benzyl Salicylate, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Pinene, Hydroxycitronellal, Citral, Benzaldehyde, Tetramethylcyclohexanepropanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Geranyl Acetate, Terpinolene, Terpineol, Beta-Caryophyllene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateBeta-Caryophyllene is a fragrance. It can cause irritation.
Citral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
The term '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.
Learn more about CitralGeranyl Acetate is a fragrance. It can cause irritation.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalyl Acetate is the acetate ester of linalool and can be naturally found in many flowers and spice plants.
This ingredient is often used to add a scent or mask an unpleasant one in products.
Linalyl acetate is mildly toxic to humans and toxic to fish.
Learn more about Linalyl AcetateParfum 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 ParfumPinene is created by distilling the resin of Pinus trees.
It is a known EU allergen. Long term contact with this ingredient can cause dermatitis.
Terpineol is a fragrance. It can cause irritation.
Terpinolene is a fragrance. It can cause irritation.
This ingredient is also known as ISO E Super. It is a synthetic perfuming and masking ingredient.
The manufacturer describes this scnet as amber and woody.
According to the EU, this ingredient is a known allergen and some people may develop skin sensitivity from repeated exposure.
Learn more about Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
