What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lysine
Skin ConditioningAlgin
MaskingHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientClimbazole
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventDisodium EDTA
ChelatingAroma
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citrol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polysorbate 80, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Sorbitan Oleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Lysine, Algin, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Silk, Panthenol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Climbazole, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylpropanediol, Disodium EDTA, Aroma, Benzyl Alcohol, Citrol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9 Pg-Amodimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingLaureth-23
Cleansing
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Camelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xylose
HumectantHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingArginine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Water, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Trideceth-9 Pg-Amodimethicone, Parfum, Isopropyl Alcohol, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Xylose, Hexyl Cinnamal, Trideceth-12, Arginine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Salicylic Acid, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Coumarin
Alternatives
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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeLimonene is the compound that gives citrus peel its smell.
In skincare, it shows up as a standalone fragrance ingredient or as a natural compound of citrus and other essential oils.
You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.
Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.
Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:
It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.
Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a small, naturally occurring scent molecule found in plants like lavender, coriander, bergamot, and more.
It is one of the two most-used fragrance ingredients in cosmetics and added purely for smell. Since it's not used for a skin benefit, there's no "effective dose". Concentration depends on the fragrance load of the product.
The EU requires it to be named on the label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Fresh linalool is a weak sensitizer but air exposure turns some of it into hydroperoxides, which are strong sensitizers. Those oxidation products are the actual allergy concern.
Patch-test clinics see positive reactions to linalool hydroperoxides in about 4% to 12% of dermatitis patients depending on country and test concentration.
Resassuringly, one analytical study found hydroperoxide levels in real fragranced products to be orders of magnitude below what induced sensitization in animal studies with no evidence of oxidation building up during normal storage.
The practical takeaway is that linalool is fine for most people but worth avoiding if you have a confirmed fragrance contact allergy or a badly compromised barrier.
Products stored a long time after opening are also the high-risk scenario since that is when oxidation happens.
The scent of linalool is described as floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolWater. 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
