What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingGlycereth-26
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Glycereth-26, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Panthenol, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-40 Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Benzophenone-4, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, CI 19140, CI 14700
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-11
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-10
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Acetate
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Polyquaternium-11, Pvp, Polyquaternium-10, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilBenzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
Learn more about Benzyl BenzoateCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholParfum 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 ParfumPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
