What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Mannitol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Aminoethanesulfinic Acid
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tripterygium Wilfordii Callus Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Oryza Sativa Starch, Glycolic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Arachidyl Glucoside, Bisabolol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Parfum, Glyceryl Laurate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Tocopherol, Tripterygium Wilfordii Callus Extract, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
