What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Talc
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSoluble Collagen
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Coco-Caprylate, Glycine Soja Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Octyldodecanol, Phenoxyethanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Talc, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Citric Acid, Calcium Gluconate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Sodium Anisate, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol, Sodium Citrate, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Benzoate
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 most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholGeraniol 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 GeraniolGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Soybean oil is an emollient. It is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
As an emollient, the fatty acids in soybean oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. It does so by creating a film on top that traps moisture in.
Soybean oil is also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is also anti-inflammatory and provides a soothing effect.
Studies show soy may help fade hyperpigmentation from UVB. It does so by disrupting the melanin process from UVB induced skin inflammation.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne, safe.
Soybeans are rich in proteins and are part of the legume family. Foods made with soybeans include tofu, soymilk, edamame, miso, and soy sauce.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilLinalool 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 LinaloolParfum 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
