What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientQuaternium-91
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingCocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-37
Polyquaternium-73
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPolyquaternium-7
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Behentrimonium Chloride, Diheptyl Succinate, Quaternium-91, Persea Gratissima Oil, Squalane, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Cocos Nucifera Water, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-37, Polyquaternium-73, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Polyquaternium-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Quaternium-80
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Masking
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Behentrimonium Chloride, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Silk, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Quaternium-80, Panthenol, Parfum, Methylparaben, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
