What's inside
What's inside
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sd Alcohol 40-B
AstringentParfum
MaskingTetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingGeranyl Acetate
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalyl Acetate
MaskingVanillin
MaskingDimethyl Phenylethyl Carbinyl Acetate
PerfumingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCitronellol
PerfumingPinene
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
PerfumingCitrus Aurantium Peel Oil
Rose Ketone-4
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingTerpinolene
PerfumingBeta-Caryophyllene
MaskingAlpha-Terpinene
PerfumingSd Alcohol 40-B, Parfum, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Water, Limonene, Linalool, Geranyl Acetate, Geraniol, Linalyl Acetate, Vanillin, Dimethyl Phenylethyl Carbinyl Acetate, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citronellol, Pinene, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil, Rose Ketone-4, Citral, Terpinolene, Beta-Caryophyllene, Alpha-Terpinene
Sd Alcohol 40-B
AstringentParfum
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningTetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
MaskingHexamethylindanopyran
MaskingVanillin
MaskingCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingAlpha-Terpinene
PerfumingBeta-Caryophyllene
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
PerfumingGeranyl Acetate
PerfumingCitrus Aurantium Flower Oil
PerfumingLavandula Oil/Extract
Linalyl Acetate
MaskingPinene
MaskingSantalol
PerfumingSantalum Album Oil
MaskingRose Ketones
PerfumingTerpineol
MaskingTerpinolene
PerfumingSd Alcohol 40-B, Parfum, Water, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Hexamethylindanopyran, Vanillin, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Terpinene, Beta-Caryophyllene, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Geranyl Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Flower Oil, Lavandula Oil/Extract, Linalyl Acetate, Pinene, Santalol, Santalum Album Oil, Rose Ketones, Terpineol, Terpinolene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a fragrance ingredient known for having a fresh, citrus/piney scent.
Though this ingredient has shown antimicrobial activity in lab contexts, it is typically present in low levels in cosmetics.
It is regulated in the EU as an EU allergen. This means it if is present above a threshold, it must be included in the label.
Learn more about Alpha-TerpineneBeta-Caryophyllene is a fragrance. It can cause irritation.
Citral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
The term '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.
Learn more about CitralCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil is oil obtained from the peel of the bergamot orange. It is used to add a "fresh" and "fruity" scent to cosmetics.
The main aromatic compounds in this ingredient are limonene (~37%), linalyl acetate (~30%), and linalool (~8%). All of these compounds are EU fragrance allergens that can irritate sensitive skin.
Phototoxicity is a bigger issue here; cold-pressed bergamot peel oil naturally contains furanocoumarins that absorb UV-A and trigger a phototoxic reaction on skin. This can lead to redness, blistering, and/or hyperpigmentation on sun-exposed skin.
Due to this, this ingredient is capped at 0.4% in leave-on products applied to skin areas exposed to sunlight. Rinse-off products aren't restricted.
A furanocoumarin-free version made by distillation is widely used in modern cosmetics and avoids the photoxicity issue (but the fragrance-allergen content still remains).
Be sure to reach out to the brand if you have questions about their source of this ingredient.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel OilGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGeranyl Acetate is a fragrance. It can cause irritation.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool 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 LinaloolLinalyl Acetate is the acetate ester of linalool and can be naturally found in many flowers and spice plants.
This ingredient is often used to add a scent or mask an unpleasant one in products.
Linalyl acetate is mildly toxic to humans and toxic to fish.
Learn more about Linalyl AcetateParfum 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 ParfumPinene is created by distilling the resin of Pinus trees.
It is a known EU allergen. Long term contact with this ingredient can cause dermatitis.
SD Alcohol 40-B is created by denaturing ethanol with tert-Butyl alcohol and denatonium benzoate. It is a solvent and astringent.
The 'SD' stands for 'specially denatured'. Denatured alcohol means the structure has been altered.
The 40-B is given by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. This is in accordance to the method of how the alcohol was denatured.
This ingredient is a solvent alcohol.
Learn more about Sd Alcohol 40-BTerpinolene is a fragrance. It can cause irritation.
This ingredient is also known as ISO E Super. It is a synthetic perfuming and masking ingredient.
The manufacturer describes this scnet as amber and woody.
According to the EU, this ingredient is a known allergen and some people may develop skin sensitivity from repeated exposure.
Learn more about Tetramethyl AcetyloctahydronaphthalenesVanillin is the main compound of the vanilla bean. It is naturally occuring but can also be artificially created.
This ingredient exhibits antioxidant properties but is also a known skin-irritant.
Vanillism is the term of contact-dermatitis associated with the vanilla plant. The sap of the vanilla plant triggers skin irritation, swelling, and redness.
Learn more about VanillinWater. 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