What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
PEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Chloride, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Water, Butylene Glycol, Cocamide Mea, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Hydrated Silica, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Saccharide Isomerate, Bisabolol, Menthyl Lactate, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Limonene, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Farnesol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
AbsorbentPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Xylitol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Panthenol, Xylitylglucoside, Charcoal Powder, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Anhydroxylitol, Bisabolol, Menthyl Lactate, Xylitol, Polyquaternium-7, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCitric 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 AcidGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateMenthyl lactate is an ester of menthol and lactic acid. It is often used as a cooling agent and fragrance.
When applied topically, this ingredient leaves a refreshing sensation like menthol, but is less irritating.
Parfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
