What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Cocos Nucifera Water, Polysorbate 20, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Allantoin, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningSucrose
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Sucrose, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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.
Potassium 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 SorbateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
