What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Dimethicone
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningAminobutyric Acid
Biosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantAgar
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPvp
Emulsion StabilisingPolyvinyl Alcohol
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientAcrylates Copolymer
Parfum
MaskingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Methylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPolyvinyl Acetate
Emulsion StabilisingPolysilicone-11
CI 77120
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 18050
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Stearyl Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Aminobutyric Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Agar, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pvp, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Acrylates Copolymer, Parfum, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polyvinyl Acetate, Polysilicone-11, CI 77120, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cholesterol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Phytosphingosine, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, CI 77491, CI 18050
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantSqualane
EmollientEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientC12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSorbitol
HumectantSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTocopheryl Linoleate
AntioxidantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningSoluble Collagen
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Linoleate, CI 77891, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Retinyl Palmitate, Soluble Collagen, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Parfum, Limonene, CI 19140
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 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.
Propylene 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 Water