What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentSilica
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethylene Glycol
Masking
Magnesium Chloride
Magnesium Nitrate
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine Hcl, Panthenol, Maltodextrin, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Triethylene Glycol, Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Nitrate, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Juice
MaskingWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Ascorbic Acid, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Limonene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Juice
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 AlcoholDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 LimonenePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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 ParfumChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateTocopheryl 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
