What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ulmus Fulva Bark Extract
MoisturisingParfum
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Ulmus Fulva Bark Extract, Parfum, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Panthenol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, CI 19140, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Thymus Vulgaris Extract
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Malva Sylvestris Extract
AstringentCetrimonium Bromide
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Malva Sylvestris Extract, Cetrimonium Bromide, Parfum, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic AcidPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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.
Water. 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
