What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dioleoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract
Limonium Gerberi Extract
Skin ProtectingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Dioleoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Dimethicone, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Parfum, Isopropyl Alcohol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Butylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract, Limonium Gerberi Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dioleoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Limonium Gerberi Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Dioleoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Limonium Gerberi Extract, Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilThis ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Cetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDioleoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate is a type of sulfate.
Glycereth-2 Cocoate can be bad for dry skin.
We don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract yet.
We don't have a description for Hydroxypropyl Guar yet.
We don't have a description for Limonium Gerberi Extract yet.
Parfum 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
