What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingThiazolylalanine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingUrea
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Thiodipropionic Acid
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Tapioca Starch
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
Bleaching
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Sulfate
Trisodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Homosalate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Alcohol Denat., Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dimethicone, Silica, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Tapioca Starch, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Chloride, Carbomer, Sodium Sulfate, Trisodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Parfum, CI 15985, CI 16035
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
