What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientTriethyl Citrate
MaskingVp/Va Copolymer
Ceteareth-20
CleansingHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingBHT
AntioxidantCaprylic Acid
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLauryl Laurate
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
PerfumingMethylheptyl Isostearate
Skin ConditioningPEG-45m
HumectantPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPolyimide-1
Polyquaternium-55
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveSodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingTocopherol
AntioxidantXylitol
HumectantParfum
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Triethyl Citrate, Vp/Va Copolymer, Ceteareth-20, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Aminomethyl Propanol, BHT, Caprylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lauryl Laurate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Methylheptyl Isostearate, PEG-45m, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyimide-1, Polyquaternium-55, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Silica, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Xylitol, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialPolyquaternium-7
Palmitic Acid
EmollientSteareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Panthenol, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-7, Palmitic Acid, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Aminomethyl Propanol, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aminomethyl Propanol is used to adjust the pH of products. It is also used as a base to create other organic compounds. Having a balanced pH is important for protecting your skin.
Aminomethyl propanol is safe to use in cosmetics up to 1%. It is soluble in water.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinParfum 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