What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Citral
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Cymbopogon Flexuosus Oil
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Citral, Dehydroacetic Acid, Cymbopogon Flexuosus Oil, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol, Eugenol, Isoeugenol, Limonene
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningLanolin
Emollient
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Sulfate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Eugenol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Cinnamyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Cholesterol
Emollient
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Methylparaben
Preservative
Citronellol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citral
Perfuming
Aluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantCoumarin
Perfuming
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingAmyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Paraffinum Liquidum, Water, Lanolin, Ozokerite, Microcrystalline Wax, Beeswax, Paraffin, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Eugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Cholesterol, Isoeugenol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Methylparaben, Citronellol, Potassium Sorbate, Citral, Aluminum Stearate, Coumarin, Glycine Soja Protein, Amyl Cinnamal, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCitral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
The term '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.
Learn more about CitralCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolEugenol is naturally found in cloves, basil, and bay leaves. It is an aromatic oil used to add fragrance to a product. The scent of eugenol is described as "clove-like". Eugenol is a known EU allergen, meaning it causes contact allergies.
Studies show eugenol possesses antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
Besides cosmetics, eugenol is also added as a flavor in teas and cakes.
Learn more about EugenolGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolIsoeugenol is a fragrance component that is naturally occurring in plants such as ylang-ylang, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Isoeugenol is a known EU allergen. This means it is known to cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPhenoxyethanol 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic Acid
