What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Ceramide Ag
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, PEG-150 Distearate, Glycolic Acid, Parfum, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Ceramide Ag, Oryza Sativa Cera, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Propanediol, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxypropylphosphate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Hydroxypropylphosphate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, CI 17200, CI 15985
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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.
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateWater. 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
