What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientStearalkonium Chloride
PreservativeGlycerin
HumectantCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingCocos Nucifera Shell Powder
AbrasiveRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingUrtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Parfum
MaskingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Cocos Nucifera Shell Powder, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPanthenyl Ethyl Ether
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantAlcohol
AntimicrobialBehentrimonium Methosulfate
BHT
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingOlealkonium Chloride
Oleyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-2m
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phosphate
BufferingPolyquaternium-47
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveTridecane
PerfumingUndecane
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingMagnesium Chloride
Magnesium Nitrate
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCitral
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, BHT, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Olealkonium Chloride, Oleyl Alcohol, PEG-2m, Sodium Phosphate, Polyquaternium-47, Polysorbate 60, Silica, Tridecane, Undecane, Sodium Benzoate, Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Nitrate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateCetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
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 tea tree oil comes from the leaves of the Tea Tree plant. Tea tree oil has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
According to the book Journal of Profiles of Drug Substances, tea tree helps in reducing acne-causing bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes. This is due to the Terpinen components of tea tree oil.
Tea tree may cause sensitivity and irritation for some people. This oil naturally contains fragrance such as linalool and limonene.
However, research shows irritation usually occurs when using pure tea tree oil and not in cosmetic products.
Tea tree oil was found to help relieve the symptoms of psoriasis in one study.
Tea tree oil is toxic when ingested. Another study showed it to caused damage to the nervous system of dogs and cats when applied to their skin or given orally.
Learn more about Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf 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 ParfumTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water