What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycol Stearate
EmollientLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientHydroxypropyl Bis-Hydroxyethyldimonium Chloride
HumectantPolyquaternium-4
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningC9-12 Alkane
SolventSqualane
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientNigella Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientCitrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
EmollientMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientBoswellia Carterii Oil
MaskingHyssopus Officinalis Extract
MaskingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantChlorella Ferment
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSodium Laneth-40 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer
Parfum
MaskingCaramel
Cosmetic Colorant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingAlcohol
AntimicrobialLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Stearate, Lactobacillus, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Hydroxypropyl Bis-Hydroxyethyldimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-4, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, C9-12 Alkane, Squalane, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Chlorella Ferment, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Panthenol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Laneth-40 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer, Parfum, Caramel, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Alcohol, Linalool, Limonene, Coumarin, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePropylene Glycol
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingQuaternium-80
Bambusa Vulgaris Stem Extract
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicCitronellol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Parfum, Isopropyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Sodium Citrate, Quaternium-80, Bambusa Vulgaris Stem Extract, Biotin, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellol, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This 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%.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinLimonene 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 LimonenePanthenol 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 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.
Water. 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