What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningQuaternium-91
Behentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeMyristyl Myristate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientFragaria Ananassa Seed Oil
AntioxidantRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
EmollientCitrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
EmollientDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Powder
AbrasiveWater, Quaternium-91, Behentrimonium Chloride, Myristyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetrimonium Chloride, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Fragaria Ananassa Seed Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Panthenol, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Powder
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingAmodimethicone
Polyquaternium-37
PPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientAcetamide Mea
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingLactamide Mea
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeXylose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingLinalool
PerfumingDimethiconol
EmollientBenzophenone-4
UV AbsorberIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningIsoeugenol
PerfumingBHT
AntioxidantMelanin
Skin ProtectingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Amodimethicone, Polyquaternium-37, PPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Acetamide Mea, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Lactamide Mea, Dimethicone, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Butylene Glycol, Trideceth-6, Behentrimonium Chloride, Xylose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Sorbitan Oleate, Linalool, Dimethiconol, Benzophenone-4, Isopropyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Tocopherol, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Citronellol, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Isoeugenol, BHT, Melanin, Sodium Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
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 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.
This ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit 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 ParfumWater. 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