What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingCocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract
EmollientInonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningRhodiola Rosea Extract
EmollientEleutherococcus Senticosus Root Extract
AstringentRhaponticum Carthamoides Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, C13-15 Alkane, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglutamic Acid, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Cocos Nucifera Water, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Extract, Eleutherococcus Senticosus Root Extract, Rhaponticum Carthamoides Root Extract, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Phytate, Propanediol, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Butylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Amodimethicone
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Avena Sativa Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Glycine Soja Germ Extract
EmollientTapioca Starch
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Quaternium-80
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Trideceth-3
EmulsifyingTrideceth-15
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Acetic Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Amodimethicone, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Peptide, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Tapioca Starch, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Quaternium-80, Trideceth-12, Propylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Trideceth-3, Trideceth-15, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Acetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Citronellol, Coumarin
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is an organic acid that shows up in cosmetics as a preservative. It helps keep a product from spoiling by holding back the growth of yeast, mold, and some bacteria.
This ingredient also functions as a fragrance ingredient that helps mask the unpleasant scent of other ingredients.
The way it works is worth understanding; benzoic acid works when the formula is acidic. It is able to sneak into a microbe's cell and mess up how it functions to stop it from growing in an acidic product.
However, the acid switches to an inactive form and stops working if a product isn't acidic enough (above ~5 pH). This is why you'll often see it in low pH products or teamed up with other preservatives to cover the gap.
Safety wise, it's one of the better studied preservatives out there.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
A large international review found this ingredient had no effects on the human body and had low irritation potential.
Just so you know, real world use is usually much lower than the 5% ceiling (usually 1% of less).
The EU caps it at 2.5% in rinse-off products, 1.7% in oral care, and 0.5% in leave-on products.
One thing worth mentioning (it's nothing to worry about): some people get a little stinging or flushing where they apply it. This isn't a true allergy; it's a temporary and harmless reaction. This is the same kind of mild tingle you might notice from sorbic acid.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil comes from the seabuckthorn plant. It is rich in tocopherols, tocotrienols, and plant sterols.
This oil is rich in fatty acids, including: two types of linoleic acid (~30-34%), oleic acid (17%), and palmiteic acid (35%). Note these numbers are averages, and different parts of the plant will vary.
Palmitoleic acid has been shown to help soothe inflammation and promote wound healing. It is also naturally found in the fat of our skin.
Learn more about Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed 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 âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ 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.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
