What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeDimethicone
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLinoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Parfum
MaskingImperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Parfum, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Limonene, Coumarin, Linalool
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingWater
Skin ConditioningBuddleja Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarum Petroselinum Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
BufferingCitronellol
PerfumingDimethicone
EmollientDiospyros Kaki Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDipsacus Sylvestris Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydrolyzed Linseed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingLinalool
PerfumingParfum
MaskingPEG-8
HumectantPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmulsifyingPelvetia Canaliculata Extract
Skin ProtectingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyacrylamide
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativePueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSiloxanetriol Alginate
Skin ConditioningSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSorbic Acid
PreservativeStearyl Heptanoate
EmollientThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTromethamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Water, Buddleja Officinalis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caffeine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Carum Petroselinum Extract, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, CI 14700, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Dimethicone, Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract, Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Isononyl Isononanoate, Laureth-7, Linalool, Parfum, PEG-8, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Potassium Sorbate, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Siloxanetriol Alginate, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sorbic Acid, Stearyl Heptanoate, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tromethamine
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredientâs final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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