What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantDisiloxane
Skin ConditioningLauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientIsotridecyl Isononanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMagnesium Sulfate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyhydroxystearic Acid
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingWater, Zinc Oxide, Propylheptyl Caprylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Disiloxane, Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Isododecane, Isotridecyl Isononanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSilica
AbrasiveBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Adipate
EmollientTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentStearic Acid
CleansingPanax Ginseng Root Water
MaskingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingPropanediol
SolventT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingBupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingCentella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Homosalate, Butylene Glycol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Silica, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Dibutyl Adipate, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tromethamine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Stearic Acid, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Palmitic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Propanediol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol
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
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolC12-15 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 BenzoateEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylateParfum 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 ParfumTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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