What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Isostearyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMyristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSteardimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Propylene Glycol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Isostearyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Sorbitan Oleate, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Myristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Steardimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysilicone-29
Silicone Quaternium-18
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Artocarpus Heterophyllus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingMethylpropanediol
SolventTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-80
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
C12-13 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Didecyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingArginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPCA
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Algin
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Chitosan
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Polysilicone-29, Silicone Quaternium-18, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Artocarpus Heterophyllus Fruit Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Parfum, Polysorbate 20, Trideceth-12, Methylpropanediol, Trideceth-6, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Polyquaternium-80, Citric Acid, C12-13 Pareth-9, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Didecyldimonium Chloride, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, PCA, Lactobacillus Ferment, Glycine, Alanine, Algin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chitosan, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
