What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propanediol
Solvent
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningPPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Silica
Abrasive
Alumina
Abrasive
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Alcohol Denat., Propanediol, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Silk, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Hexyl Cinnamal, Silica, Alumina, Titanium Dioxide, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Amodimethicone
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Quaternium-80
Polyquaternium-37
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Trideceth-10
CleansingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Silk, Panthenol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Amodimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-80, Polyquaternium-37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Potassium Sorbate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Trideceth-10, Hexylene Glycol, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Citric Acid, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hexyl Cinnamal
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
Learn more about Benzyl BenzoateCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalHexylene Glycol is a surfactant. Glycols are a class of alcohols. Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, Hexylene Glycol helps gather dirt and oil on your skin to be washed away.
As an emulsifier, Hexylene Glycol helps keep water and oil together. This prevents them from separating in a product. Hexylene Glycol also thins out the texture of a product by lessening viscosity.
Hexylene Glycol has a small molecular weight.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolYou can find hydrolyzed silk in both haircare and skincare products. According to a manufacturer, it can help improve skin and hair hydration.
This ingredient is created by adding acid or enzymes to 'hydrolyze' silk protein.
Due to the origins of this ingredient, it is not vegan. Silk is an animal product from silkworms.
Depending on the source, this ingredient can be considered cruelty-free. It is created from left-over cocoons of silkworms. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about where their hydrolyzed silk comes from.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed SilkParfum 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
