What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
AbsorbentPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Xylitol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Panthenol, Xylitylglucoside, Charcoal Powder, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Anhydroxylitol, Bisabolol, Menthyl Lactate, Xylitol, Polyquaternium-7, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Brassica Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientSpirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingSpinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientBrassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate
Emulsion StabilisingCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Volcanic Ash
Abrasive
Arginine
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Curcumin
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingMineral Salts
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Brassica Alcohol, Propanediol, Cetyl Esters, Persea Gratissima Oil, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Biotin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Isododecane, Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Isopropyl Myristate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Panthenol, Volcanic Ash, Arginine, Glycerin, Curcumin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Mineral Salts, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic 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 GlycerinPanthenol 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
