What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Urea
Buffering
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Paraffin
Perfuming
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlucose
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids
CleansingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Alanine
Masking
Sucrose
Humectant
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexyl Nicotinate
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Limonene, Isopropyl Palmitate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Stearic Acid, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Urea, Aspartic Acid, Paraffin, Carbomer, Glucose, Fructose, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethiconol, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Alanine, Sucrose, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Xanthan Gum, Glutamic Acid, Dextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexyl Nicotinate, Hexylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Citral, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Hexyldecyl Stearate
EmollientIsocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Octyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientSucrose Distearate
Emollient
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientBalanites Roxburghii Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, C10-18 Triglycerides, Hexyldecyl Stearate, Isocetyl Stearate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Stearate, Balanites Roxburghii Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Saccharide Isomerate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 ParfumTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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 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
