What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantKaolin
AbrasiveHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Parfum
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Kaolin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Panthenol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethiconol
EmollientCeteareth-25
CleansingEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentCaffeine
Skin ConditioningAmodimethicone
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
EmollientMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantTrideceth-5
EmulsifyingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningBiotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Arginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingPCA
HumectantGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingApigenin
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLaureth-9
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyquaternium-10
Parfum
MaskingWater, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Dimethiconol, Ceteareth-25, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Caffeine, Amodimethicone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Propylene Glycol, Trideceth-5, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oleanolic Acid, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Citric Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Apigenin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Laureth-9, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-10, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Corn Protein yet.
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein is a vegan protein made to mimic hydrolyzed collagen. It is created from soy, or glycine soja.
This ingredient is a humectant, meaning it helps hydrate the skin by binding to water. According to a manufacturer, it is also a great hair conditioner.
Read more about hydrolyzed collagen here.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Soy ProteinThis ingredient is a plant-derived protein made by breaking down wheat proteins into smaller amino acids and peptides. It has skin and hair conditioning properties.
People with known wheat allergy or a history of immediate reactions should be cautious with leave-on products containing hydrolyzed wheat proteins.
Parfum 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.
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