What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantAdansonia Digitata Fruit Extract
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientAlcohol
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
EmollientBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningStearyl Behenate
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPoloxamer 407
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventPhytantriol
HumectantHydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Butylene Glycol, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Trehalose, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Beta-Glucan, Stearyl Behenate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Carbomer, Poloxamer 407, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polysorbate 20, Propanediol, Phytantriol, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCollagen
MoisturisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingIngredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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