What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEthyl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningArbutin
AntioxidantPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-40 Stearate
EmulsifyingCeteareth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73015
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Ethyl Macadamiate, Arbutin, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, CI 19140, CI 42090, CI 73015
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantCetyl Palmitate
EmollientEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientGlycolic Acid
BufferingTetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientAvena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin ConditioningAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDimethicone
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPEG-75 Stearate
Polyacrylamide
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientSteareth-20
CleansingCeteth-20
CleansingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingDiazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeLaureth-7
EmulsifyingDichlorobenzyl Alcohol
Antimicrobial2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol
PreservativeBHT
AntioxidantIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeAcetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Cetyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glycolic Acid, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-75 Stearate, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Steareth-20, Ceteth-20, Polysorbate 80, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Diazolidinyl Urea, Laureth-7, Dichlorobenzyl Alcohol, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, BHT, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolThis ingredient is also known as "C13-14 Isoalkane".
C13-14 Isoparaffin is created from petroleum-based mineral oils. It is an emollient and helps thicken a product.
As an emollient, it helps keep the skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in, keeping the skin hydrated.
C13-14 Isoparaffin may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about C13-14 IsoparaffinCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateLaureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
This ingredient is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away.
Parfum 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.
Polyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.
Polyacrylamide is low-toxicity. If source properly, it is deemed safe to use in cosmetics.
It should be noted the precursor to Polyacrylamide is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a carcinogen. Most reputable sources of Polyacrylamide will screen for residual acrylamide to make sure the count is in a safe range. Acrylamide is not able to be absorbed through the skin.
We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about PolyacrylamidePropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum