What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearalkonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Corn Starch Modified
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Magnesium Sulfate
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPolyquaternium-55
Polyquaternium-10
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Tetrasodium EDTA
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingCoumarin
Perfuming
Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Keratin Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Prunus Serotina Bark Extract
MaskingHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialCymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract
Skin ConditioningUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearalkonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Corn Starch Modified, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Ceteareth-20, Polyquaternium-55, Polyquaternium-10, Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Parfum, Sodium PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Tetrasodium EDTA, Pvp, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Caprylyl Glycol, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Coumarin, Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Keratin Amino Acids, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Prunus Serotina Bark Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningVp/Va Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein
Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Salvia Officinalis Extract
Antimicrobial
Nigella Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum 100%
Masking
Water, Vp/Va Copolymer, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Aminomethyl Propanol, Carbomer, Sodium Phytate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Parfum 100%
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 “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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
