What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPolyquaternium-32
Paraffinum Liquidum
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
EmulsifyingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Leaf Extract
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCitral
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-10, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Polyquaternium-32, Paraffinum Liquidum, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingAcetamide Mea
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-11
PPG-14 Butyl Ether
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingStearalkonium Chloride
PreservativePrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientIsopropyl Lanolate
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
EmulsifyingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCitral
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Acetamide Mea, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyquaternium-11, PPG-14 Butyl Ether, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Stearalkonium Chloride, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Panthenol, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Lanolate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidBenzyl 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 BenzoateCitral is a fragrance and used to add a lemon-like scent to products. It is both naturally found in plants and created synthetically. In plants, it is commonly occurring in lemon myrtle, lemongrass, lemon tea-tree, lemon verbena, and other citruses.
The EU mandates Citral be listed separately as a fragrance. It is a known allergen and may cause contact dermatitis. Citral can also used as a masking ingredient.
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.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
Learn more about CitralEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Geraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGlycereth-2 Cocoate can be bad for dry skin.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
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 LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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.
This oil comes from the seeds of the desert shrub called Jojoba. It is more commonly known as jojoba oil, a non-comedogenic oil.
Jojoba oil does not contain fragrance and has many fatty-acids, making it a great soothing ingredient.
It also contains Vitamin E, a great moisturizing ingredient. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant and protects your skin against oxidative damage.
This ingredient humectant properties, meaning it helps draw moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
While jojoba has antibacterial properties, it is only able to kill some strains of bacteria.
Studies also show it helps in wound healing. In fact, Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fun fact: Jojoba oil similar to natural human skin sebum, so it has a great effect on dry skin. It is also promising with helping to regulate sebum production.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water