What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeGlycerin
HumectantDimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingSh-Polypeptide-50
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Peptide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Dimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Chloride, Sh-Polypeptide-50, Avena Sativa Peptide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, CI 19140, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientC10-40 Isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium Ethosulfate
Sodium Sulfate
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientAmodimethicone
Disodium EDTA
PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialCyclotetrasiloxane
EmollientMagnesium Nitrate
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMagnesium Chloride
Methylarachidic Acid
Methylisothiazolinone
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingAcetic Acid
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Parfum, Gluconolactone, Trehalose, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, C10-40 Isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium Ethosulfate, Sodium Sulfate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Paraffinum Liquidum, Amodimethicone, Disodium EDTA, PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether, Phenoxyethanol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Magnesium Nitrate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Methylarachidic Acid, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Chloride, Acetic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
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 AlcoholThis ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 ParfumChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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