What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingGlutamic Acid
HumectantBis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone
Butylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHistidine
HumectantBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantMagnesium Nitrate
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMagnesium Chloride
Methylisothiazolinone
PreservativeWater, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Glutamic Acid, Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Hexyl Cinnamal, Histidine, Benzyl Benzoate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Magnesium Nitrate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPolyquaternium-55
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientDicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningCrambe Maritima Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingParfum
MaskingCeteareth-20
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Benzoate
PreservativeDimethicone
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Isopropyl Alcohol
SolventBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingWater, Butylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-55, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Propanediol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Crambe Maritima Leaf Extract, Chlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Parfum, Ceteareth-20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Potassium Benzoate, Dimethicone, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
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 GlycolCetyl 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.
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 AcidWe don't have a description for Dicetyldimonium Chloride yet.
Disodium 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 EDTAParfum 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 ParfumPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWe don't have a description for Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine yet.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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