What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLimonene
PerfumingLinalyl Acetate
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPosidonia Oceanica Extract
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingSoluble Collagen
HumectantSorbic Acid
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Biotin, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Limonene, Linalyl Acetate, Niacinamide, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Posidonia Oceanica Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Sodium Citrate, Soluble Collagen, Sorbic Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Cocoate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningErythritol
HumectantHydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentAcacia Seyal Gum Extract
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Capillaris Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Extract
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingProline
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-37
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate, Sodium Gluconate, Erythritol, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Maltodextrin, Acacia Seyal Gum Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Artemisia Capillaris Flower Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Glycine, Proline, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-37, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate
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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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