What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingPolyacrylamidomethylpropane Sulfonic Acid
Vinyl Caprolactam/Vp/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-28
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Polyacrylamidomethylpropane Sulfonic Acid, Vinyl Caprolactam/Vp/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Benzyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-28, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Mica, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Titanium Dioxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Nigella Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Sorbitol
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingCitronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Isopropyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Esters, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Sorbitol, Potassium Hydroxide, Citronellol, Citral, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ceramide AP
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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene 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 LimoneneParfum 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 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
