What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearalkonium Chloride
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Butter
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Arctium Lappa Root Powder
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Persea Gratissima Oil, Persea Gratissima Butter, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Citric Acid, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Mentha Piperita Oil, Sorbic Acid, Arctium Lappa Root Powder, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningPanthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride
Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentPelargonium Graveolens Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cetyl Esters, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidThis 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 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 ParfumThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilWater. 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
