What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
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 used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
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 “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.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
