What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantQuaternium-95
UV AbsorberPropanediol
SolventHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
MaskingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
BufferingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Quaternium-95, Propanediol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Biotin, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativePropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialInulin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPolyquaternium-37
Polyquaternium-11
Saccharide Isomerate
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCocos Nucifera Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingLaureth-2
CleansingRibes Nigrum Seed Oil
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Niacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetrimonium Chloride, Inulin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Polyquaternium-37, Polyquaternium-11, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Cocos Nucifera Seed Butter, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Laureth-2, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexyl Cinnamal
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseParfum 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 ParfumSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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