What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeDimethicone
EmollientAmodimethicone
Isopropyl Alcohol
SolventSodium Citrate
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingC15-19 Alkane
SolventDicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Esters
EmollientHydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingDilauryl Thiodipropionate
AntioxidantCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingTrisodium Hedta
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Amodimethicone, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Glycerin, Citric Acid, C15-19 Alkane, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Esters, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Trideceth-6, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Limonene, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Trisodium Hedta
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
SmoothingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingHydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSteareth-6
EmulsifyingAcetic Acid
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantTrideceth-10
CleansingTrideceth-3
EmulsifyingTrisodium Hedta
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
AntimicrobialDimethicone
EmollientLimonene
PerfumingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingTartaric Acid
BufferingGeraniol
PerfumingCetyl Esters
EmollientCitronellol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingParfum
MaskingCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Niacinamide, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Phenoxyethanol, Steareth-6, Acetic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Trideceth-10, Trideceth-3, Trisodium Hedta, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Dimethicone, Limonene, Panthenol, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Tartaric Acid, Geraniol, Cetyl Esters, Citronellol, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Parfum, Ceramide AP
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 an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Cetyl Esters is an emollient with an interesting backstory: it's a synthetic wax originally designed to be a copy of spermaceti, a waxy material that used to be harvested from whales.
This ingredient delivers the same "velvety" feel without anything animal-derived (usually made from coconut or palm-sourced fatty alcohols/acids).
Chemically, it's a blend of esters from 14-18 fatty acids and alcohols that is a solid at room temperature but melts on contact with skin. It helps soften and smooth the skin while improving the feel and spread of products.
Typical use concentrations range from 1-10% (most commonly 2-5%).
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded it's safe as used and has shown no skin irritation in available studies.
Because it's a blend of fatty acid esters in the chain-length range that Malassezia can feed on, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetyl EstersCoumarins 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 CoumarinWe don't have a description for Dicetyldimonium Chloride yet.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalLimonene 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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.
We don't have a description for Trisodium Hedta yet.
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