What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Bentonite
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Coffea Robusta Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCupressus Sempervirens Oil
Masking
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCommiphora Myrrha Oil
Masking
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Papain
Skin ConditioningPetroselinum Crispum Seed Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Algin
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Glycerin, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 77491, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Limonene, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Linalool, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Coffea Robusta Seed Extract, Carbomer, Cupressus Sempervirens Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, CI 77499, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Papain, Petroselinum Crispum Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Algin, Potassium Sorbate
Kaolin
Abrasive
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Montmorillonite
AbsorbentIllite
Abrasive
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Chlorella Vulgaris Powder
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Erythritol
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Rosa Rugosa Leaf Extract
HumectantLinalool
Perfuming
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningThiamine Hcl
MaskingBenzyl Glycol
SolventPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicMenadione
MaskingRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantKaolin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Montmorillonite, Illite, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Betaine, Chlorella Vulgaris Powder, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Limonene, Erythritol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosa Rugosa Leaf Extract, Linalool, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Thiamine Hcl, Benzyl Glycol, Pyridoxine Hcl, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Menadione, Riboflavin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia OilLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolWater. 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
