What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Mel
EmollientMenthol
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Quaternium-80
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Vinegar
Menthol
Masking
Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Vinegar, Menthol, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Parfum, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinMenthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.
Menthol is known for its cooling sensation; however, the cooling is actually from your skin being sensitized. Menthol can worsen rosacea. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Menthol also has antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about MentholParfum 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 ParfumPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene 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
