What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alanine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningPCA
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenylalanine
Masking
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingThreonine
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Valine
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Alanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Citric Acid, Disodium Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycine, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Histidine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Isoleucine, PCA, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenylalanine, Polysorbate 60, Proline, Serine, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Phosphate, Threonine, Tocopherol, Valine, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Tilia Tomentosa Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningArctium Majus Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientHedera Helix Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLamium Album Extract
AstringentNasturtium Officinale Extract
Perfuming
Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingTropaeolum Majus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentPvp
Emulsion StabilisingCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhytic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Panthenol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Tilia Tomentosa Bud Extract, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf Extract, Lamium Album Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tropaeolum Majus Flower Extract, Isopropyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Maltodextrin, Cyclodextrin, Pvp, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Citric Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Phytic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric 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 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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideParfum 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.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
