What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCeteareth-20
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSqualane
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientPunica Granatum Seed Oil
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ceramide Ns
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Ceramide Ns, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingSqualane
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientGardenia Taitensis Callus Extract
AntioxidantTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Dextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Squalane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Gardenia Taitensis Callus Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethiconol, Behenyl Alcohol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, PEG-100 Stearate, Dextrin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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