What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Esters
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeGlycerin
HumectantAmodimethicone
Parfum
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Magnesium Nitrate
Sodium PCA
HumectantMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMagnesium Chloride
Methylisothiazolinone
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Benzoate
MaskingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Parfum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Silk, Phenoxyethanol, Trideceth-12, Cetrimonium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Magnesium Nitrate, Sodium PCA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, CI 17200, CI 14700
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeElaeis Oleifera Kernel Oil
EmollientParfum
MaskingImidazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeAmodimethicone
C12-14 Sec-Pareth-7
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-7
C12-14 Sec-Pareth-5
EmulsifyingSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantLecithin
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningUrtica Dioica
Magnesium Nitrate
Citric Acid
BufferingCymbopogon Nardus Oil
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMagnesium Chloride
Methylisothiazolinone
PreservativeCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Elaeis Oleifera Kernel Oil, Parfum, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Amodimethicone, C12-14 Sec-Pareth-7, Polyquaternium-7, C12-14 Sec-Pareth-5, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, Lecithin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Urtica Dioica, Magnesium Nitrate, Citric Acid, Cymbopogon Nardus Oil, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 19140, CI 16035, CI 42090
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This water-soluble silicone is used for its hydrating and softening properties. It is used to add a silky feel to skincare products and has great benefits for haircare.
In haircare, this ingredient:
- Adds shine
- Protects color
- Offers thermal protection
- Boosts hair strength
- Does not build up as easily
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
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 AlcoholMagnesium chloride is a mineral salt made from magnesium and chloride. It is mainly used to control product stability and texture in cosmetics.
This ingredient can also play a role in soothing the skin and supporting normal skin function.
Magnesium chloride is water-soluble, generally well tolerated, and does not act as a strong “active” ingredient on its own.
Learn more about Magnesium ChlorideWe don't have a description for Magnesium Nitrate yet.
Methylchloroisothiazolinone, or MCI, is a synthetic preservative used to protect against the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi in water-based products.
MCI is commonly combined with methylisothiazolinone (MI) in a 3:1 ratio.
This ingredient is safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-sensitizing and concentrations must not exceed 7.5 ppm in leave-on products / 15 ppm in rinse-off products.
Unfortunately, this ingredient has a well-documented sensitization story. Studies spanning several decades have shown this ingredient + MI to cause skin irritation and allergies.
The use of this ingredient varies around the world:
This just means this ingredient is most likely non-sensitizing in rinse-off products unless you've been diagnosed with a contact allergy to isothiazolinones.
Learn more about MethylchloroisothiazolinoneMI is a preservative and known skin irritant. In the past, MI was used for its ability to prevent bacteria, yeast, and fungi growth in low doses.
Nowadays, you'll most likely see MI combined with Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI).
Since then, numerous studies have shown this ingredient to cause contact dermatitis, or skin irritation.
The use of this ingredient varies around the world:
Learn more about MethylisothiazolinoneParfum 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 ParfumTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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