What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Steartrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Laureth-3
EmulsifyingLaureth-20
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Honey Extract
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Steartrimonium Chloride, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dimethicone, Laureth-3, Laureth-20, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Silk, Honey Extract, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Methylparaben, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Steartrimonium Bromide
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Aminopropyl Dimethicone
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientAmodimethicone
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
C12-14 Sec-Pareth-7
EmulsifyingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Ethyl Ester Of Hydrolyzed Silk
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Betaine
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
PEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Canola Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Leptospermum Petersonii Oil
Masking
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Saururus Chinensis Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAcorus Gramineus Root/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPinus Thunbergii Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chitosan
Hydrolyzed Chitosan
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Steartrimonium Bromide, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Amodimethicone, Glycerin, Cocamide Mea, C12-14 Sec-Pareth-7, Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ethyl Ester Of Hydrolyzed Silk, Lactic Acid, Betaine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Silk, PEG-14m, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Canola Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Leptospermum Petersonii Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Saururus Chinensis Extract, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Acorus Gramineus Root/Stem Extract, Pinus Thunbergii Leaf Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Chitosan, Hydrolyzed Chitosan, Trehalose, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal, Coumarin, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol
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 GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeYou can find hydrolyzed silk in both haircare and skincare products. According to a manufacturer, it can help improve skin and hair hydration.
This ingredient is created by adding acid or enzymes to 'hydrolyze' silk protein.
Due to the origins of this ingredient, it is not vegan. Silk is an animal product from silkworms.
Depending on the source, this ingredient can be considered cruelty-free. It is created from left-over cocoons of silkworms. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about where their hydrolyzed silk comes from.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed SilkParfum 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 GlycolWater. 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
