What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Kaolin
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder
Abrasive
Volcanic Sand
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Rhamnose
HumectantGlucose
Humectant
Glucuronic Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium C12-16 Alkyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Kaolin, Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Charcoal Powder, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Decyl Glucoside, Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder, Volcanic Sand, Zea Mays Starch, Zinc PCA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Rhamnose, Glucose, Glucuronic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Cellulose Gum, Ammonium C12-16 Alkyl Sulfate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingWater
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialBeta Vulgaris
Cosmetic ColorantKaolin
Abrasive
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantHydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantAroma
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Phytate
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Water, Lactobacillus Ferment, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Beta Vulgaris, Kaolin, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Aroma, CI 77491, Sodium Phytate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Alternatives
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 AlcoholCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinLinalool 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 LinaloolSclerotium Gum is a natural sugar-based fiber made by fermenting a fungus called Sclerotium rolfsii. It's often used as the plant-friendly alternative for synthetic thickeners like carbomer.
In skincare, it works as a thickener, gel former, and stabilizer that keeps heavy ingredients suspended so a product does not separate.
It is non-ionic and forms a triple helix in solution. This is just a fancy way of saying it builds a smooth, cushiony, and non-sticky gel that feels silkier than many other gums.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it is very sturdy and holds up across a wide pH range (~2-11). It's also good at resisting heat and hydrolysis.
Since it holds water at the skin surface, it can provide some light hydration as well.
Typical use levels are around 0.25-2%; formulators usually use 0.2-0.5% to thicken lotions and up to 2% for a firmer gel base.
This ingredient has been found safe in cosmetics with no meaningful evidence of skin sensitization.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
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
