What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Laureth-4 Carboxylic Acid
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLaureth-6 Carboxylic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-7
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-100 Stearate
Disodium EDTA
PEG-6
HumectantPolyquaternium-39
Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPEG-65m
Emulsion StabilisingBHT
Antioxidant
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Laureth-4 Carboxylic Acid, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Potassium Hydroxide, Laureth-6 Carboxylic Acid, Lauric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-7, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-100 Stearate, Disodium EDTA, PEG-6, Polyquaternium-39, Dipentaerythrityl Tri-Polyhydroxystearate, Sodium Benzoate, Aluminum Hydroxide, PEG-65m, BHT, Citronellol, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
PEG-12 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Parfum
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Methylpropanediol
SolventPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin Conditioning4-Terpineol
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, PEG-12 Dioleate, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Parfum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Methylpropanediol, Polysorbate 80, Triethanolamine, Gluconolactone, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, 4-Terpineol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Calcium Gluconate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
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 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.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
