What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantPEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientPolyacrylate-13
Gelatin
Hydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasivePolyisobutene
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit
EmollientBrassica Oleracea Capitata Juice
Skin ConditioningApium Graveolens Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningIllicium Verum Fruit Extract
PerfumingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caramel, PEG-14m, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Silk, Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Polyacrylate-13, Gelatin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Polyisobutene, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Polysorbate 20, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Juice, Apium Graveolens Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeAmodimethicone
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialCetyl Esters
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLactic Acid
BufferingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
PEG-8
HumectantPEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Palmitoyl Myristyl Serinate
Skin ConditioningPEG-45m
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
EmollientWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Trideceth-12, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Esters, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Lactic Acid, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, BHT, Disodium EDTA, PEG-8, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Palmitoyl Myristyl Serinate, PEG-45m, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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