What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthoxydiglycol
HumectantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Maris Aqua
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Trideceth-9, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propylene Glycol, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Polysorbate 20, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Maris Aqua
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Saponins
CleansingParfum
Masking
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Tromethamine
BufferingBenzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Methyl Gluceth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Saponins, Parfum, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tromethamine, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
