What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Coco-Sulfate
Cleansing
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Lactoperoxidase
StabilisingSodium PCA
Humectant
Glucose Oxidase
StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingPolyquaternium-7
Glucose
Humectant
Myristamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Tetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
CI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sucrose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Lactoperoxidase, Sodium PCA, Glucose Oxidase, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Phosphate, Polyquaternium-7, Glucose, Myristamidopropyl Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Linalool, Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, CI 77289
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sucrose
Humectant
Montmorillonite
AbsorbentSilybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Gentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Zinc PCA
Humectant
PEG-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Kaolin
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Behenic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Sucrose, Montmorillonite, Silybum Marianum Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Algae Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitol, Caffeine, Zinc PCA, PEG-3 Distearate, Kaolin, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineDisodium 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 GlycerinMethylchloroisothiazolinone, or MCI, is a synthetic preservative used to protect against the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi in water-based products.
MCI is commonly combined with methylisothiazolinone (MI) in a 3:1 ratio.
This ingredient is safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-sensitizing and concentrations must not exceed 7.5 ppm in leave-on products / 15 ppm in rinse-off products.
Unfortunately, this ingredient has a well-documented sensitization story. Studies spanning several decades have shown this ingredient + MI to cause skin irritation and allergies.
The use of this ingredient varies around the world:
This just means this ingredient is most likely non-sensitizing in rinse-off products unless you've been diagnosed with a contact allergy to isothiazolinones.
Learn more about MethylchloroisothiazolinoneParfum 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 ParfumPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSucrose is a natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts. It is the main constituent of white sugar.
In skincare, sucrose is a humectant and can be a mild exfoliant.
Sucrose is hydrophilic, meaning it attracts water. This makes it an effective humectant and helps hydrate the skin.
Studies show sugars may worsen acne-prone skin due to it disrupting the skin's natural biome. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
In some products such as body scrubs, sucrose is used as an gentle exfoliant.
The term 'sucrose' comes from the french word for sugar, 'sucre'.
Learn more about SucroseWater. 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
