What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Potassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingGlutamic Acid
HumectantAlanine
MaskingMethionine
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSoluble Collagen
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantXylitol
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantPPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingErythritol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPotassium Methoxysalicylate, Glutamic Acid, Alanine, Methionine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen, Glycerin, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, PEG-8, Xylitol, Diglycerin, PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Carbomer, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Erythritol, Disodium EDTA, 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Potassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHypericum Perforatum Extract
AntimicrobialMelilotus Officinalis Herb Extract
PerfumingHydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningNasturtium Officinale Extract
PerfumingInositol
HumectantSoluble Collagen
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPEG-8
HumectantPEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningΑ-Olefin Oligomer
Polyethylene
AbrasiveIsostearyl Alcohol
EmollientIsostearic Acid
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingErythritol
Humectant2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantPotassium Methoxysalicylate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hypericum Perforatum Extract, Melilotus Officinalis Herb Extract, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Lysine Hcl, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Inositol, Soluble Collagen, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-8, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Α-Olefin Oligomer, Polyethylene, Isostearyl Alcohol, Isostearic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Erythritol, 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 17200, CI 19140
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 derived from vitamin C.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholButylene 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 GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAYou might know this ingredient as a sugar substitute in foods. It is a sugar alcohol with humectant properties.
Humectants attract water to your skin (like glycerin or hyaluronic acid).
Fun fact: Erythritol can be naturally found in some fermented foods.
Learn more about ErythritolGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 ParfumPEG-8 is a synthetic polymer used as a humectant and solvent.
This ingredient is able to help dissolve active ingredients, including water. This gives it humectant properties.
It is soluble in water. The number '8' stands for the molecular weight of the ingredient.
Learn more about PEG-8We don't have a description for PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether yet.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideWe don't have a description for Potassium Methoxysalicylate yet.
Soluble collagen comes from animals and fish. It has a large molecule size, meaning it doesn't get absorbed into skin.
Instead, it sits on top of skin as a humectant to improve skin hydration. It has incredible water-binding properties and creates a water barrier on skin that prevents evaporation.
This ingredient is incredibly gentle and often used to counter more irritating ingredients.
While our skin does have collagen, this ingredient is not used by the skin for anti-aging. Applying collagen topically has not been linked to helping with collagen loss in skin. All the benefits of soluble collagen are related to hydration.
Fun fact: The name "soluble collagen" refers to its ability to dissolve in water.
Learn more about Soluble CollagenWater. 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