What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Juice
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetearyl Olivate
Polyacrylamide
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialDimethiconol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLaureth-7
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45380
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Juice, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyacrylamide, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Chlorphenesin, Dimethiconol, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, C12-14 Pareth-12, Parfum, CI 17200, CI 19140, CI 45380
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
AstringentAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingRetinol
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingMimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialWater, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Retinol, Glycine Soja Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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