What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventDiglycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingSea Silt Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
HumectantCalanthe Discolor Extract
Skin ConditioningCalcium Gluconate
HumectantCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCarnosine
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Citric Acid
BufferingCopper Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLeontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract
AntioxidantMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPaeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Lactate
BufferingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingTrehalose
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Diglycerin, Niacinamide, Sea Silt Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Calanthe Discolor Extract, Calcium Gluconate, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Carnosine, Cetearyl Olivate, Citric Acid, Copper Gluconate, Gluconolactone, Hydroxyacetophenone, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, Magnesium Aspartate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Polysorbate 20, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitan Olivate, Trehalose, Xanthan Gum, Zinc Gluconate, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholWater. 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