What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Polyquaternium-7
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Leaf Extract
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
Abrasive
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Citral
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Polyquaternium-7, Cocamide Mea, Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Propanediol, Glycol Distearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Water, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Extract, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Lauramide Mea
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Hydrastis Canadensis Root Extract
MaskingLawsonia Inermis Extract
Antimicrobial
Equisetum Hyemale Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPrunus Serotina Bark
MoisturisingPolyquaternium-10
Parfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauramide Mea, Glycol Distearate, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Glycerin, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Hydrastis Canadensis Root Extract, Lawsonia Inermis Extract, Equisetum Hyemale Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Prunus Serotina Bark, Polyquaternium-10, Parfum
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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycereth-2 Cocoate can be bad for dry skin.
Glycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateParfum 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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.
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium Ī±-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateWater. 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
