What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Brassica Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Laurus Nobilis Leaf Extract
MaskingPalmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingSantalum Album Oil
Masking
Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
Masking
Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil
Antimicrobial
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCetyl Esters
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Brassica Alcohol, Propanediol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Biotin, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Laurus Nobilis Leaf Extract, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Santalum Album Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Esters, Isododecane, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate, Citric Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PCA Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientDistearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, PCA Glyceryl Oleate, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride, Caffeine, Parfum, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Inulin, Gluconolactone, Xylitol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glucose, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideParfum 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
