What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeQuaternium-80
C15-19 Alkane
SolventPropanediol
SolventHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCitronellol
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Quaternium-80, C15-19 Alkane, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Silk, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol, Parfum, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingCocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingOleth-10
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialPEG-150 Stearate
SurfactantSteareth-20
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientMelia Azadirachta Seed Oil
EmollientBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantHibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentTriethyl Citrate
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBenzoic Acid
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantMethylparaben
PreservativePropylparaben
PreservativeBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polysorbate 60, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Oleth-10, Panthenol, Cetrimonium Chloride, PEG-150 Stearate, Steareth-20, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Beta-Carotene, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Hydrolyzed Silk, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Maltodextrin, Triethyl Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
Learn more about Benzyl BenzoateCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholYou can find hydrolyzed silk in both haircare and skincare products. According to a manufacturer, it can help improve skin and hair hydration.
This ingredient is created by adding acid or enzymes to 'hydrolyze' silk protein.
Due to the origins of this ingredient, it is not vegan. Silk is an animal product from silkworms.
Depending on the source, this ingredient can be considered cruelty-free. It is created from left-over cocoons of silkworms. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about where their hydrolyzed silk comes from.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed SilkHydroxycitronellal is a fragrance created from citronellal. The smell of hydroxycitronellal is often described as "citrus-like" or "melon-like".
Hydroxycitronellal is a known EU allergen and may cause irritation when applied to the skin.
Panthenol 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 ParfumWater. 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