What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLimonene
Perfuming
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Dicaprylyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Glycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Sclerotium Gum, Stearyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Limonene, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Juice, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Tocopherol, Geraniol, Citral
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPEG-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
PEG-4 Dilaurate
Emulsifying
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
PEG-8
HumectantTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Glycerin, Sodium Gluconate, PEG-4 Laurate, PEG-4 Dilaurate, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, PEG-8, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, Citral
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
The term '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.
Learn more about CitralGeraniol 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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool 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 ParfumPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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
