What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingCaprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingIsopentyldiol
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSteareth-2
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitronellol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides
EmollientLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCoumarin
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantGeraniol
PerfumingPantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningAzurite
Skin ConditioningUbiquinone
AntioxidantSaccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Saccharomyces/Calcium Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Iron Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantRetinol
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Parfum, Polysorbate 60, Isopentyldiol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Steareth-2, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Aminomethyl Propanol, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxycitronellal, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Coumarin, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Tocopherol, Geraniol, Pantothenic Acid, Azurite, Ubiquinone, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Calcium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Ascorbic Acid, Retinol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientParfum
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSteareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientLinalool
PerfumingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialBenzophenone-4
UV AbsorberPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingLimonene
PerfumingPolyacrylic Acid
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingChondrus Crispus
MaskingTetrasodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGeraniol
PerfumingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitronellol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingPEG-8
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCitral
PerfumingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Parfum, Dimethicone, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Squalane, Linalool, Cetearyl Glucoside, Chlorphenesin, Benzophenone-4, Polysorbate 60, Limonene, Polyacrylic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Benzyl Salicylate, Chondrus Crispus, Tetrasodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Geraniol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Citrate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Citral, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, CI 77491, CI 77891, Mica
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateCetearyl 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 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 CitronellolCoumarins are a group of substances found naturally in plants. There are over 1300 types of coumarins identified. It has a natural vanilla scent.
Coumarin is an identified EU known allergy, meaning it may cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
In many countries, coumarin is banned as a food additive. However, it can be found in soaps, tobacco products, and some alcohol drinks.
Plants use coumarins as a chemical defense. Some plants that have coumarins include lavender, tonka beans, and yellow clovers.
Learn more about CoumarinEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is a fatty acid ester.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateGeraniol 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 GlycerinLinalool 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.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Steareth-2 is a waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients. It is created from polyethylene glycol and stearyl alcohol. The 2 stands for the number of ethylene oxide units used to create this ingredient.
Due to the low degree of ethoxylation, the molecule stays mostly oil-loving. That's why you'll often see it paired with water-loving steareth-20 or steareth-21 to create elegant emulsions.
In testing, this ingredient was nontoxic in acute oral studies and not a skin irritant or sensitizer.
You might hear concerns about 1,4-dioxane as a byproduct of ethoxylation; this is well-known in the industry and is controlled through purification steps before the ingredient is blended into finished products.
Learn more about Steareth-2Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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