What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMalus Domestica Fruit Extract
AntioxidantNymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
C12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingBetaine
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantBakuchiol
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol
HumectantTrisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, C12-14 Alketh-12, Betaine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Pvp, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Adenosine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Bakuchiol, Propylene Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, Parfum
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Isododecane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Glycerin
HumectantDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Caerulea Flower Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMagnesium Sulfate
Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate
EmulsifyingBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
AbrasivePalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPhloretin
AntioxidantSilica Silylate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialBakuchiol
AntimicrobialCI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningCitrus Unshiu Peel Extract
MaskingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingCyclopentasiloxane, Water, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Isododecane, Dimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Beeswax, Silica, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Phloretin, Silica Silylate, Alcohol Denat., Bakuchiol, CI 77220, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Coumarin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV)
2) activate the same genes retinoids do
Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
Systematic reviews also back this up:
Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
Learn more about BakuchiolGlycerin (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 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