What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPvp
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vp/Va Copolymer
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Ceteareth-25
CleansingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-20m
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-20
CleansingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Pvp, Alcohol Denat., Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Ceteareth-25, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-20m, Ceteareth-20, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Silica, Coumarin, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningLanolin Wax
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingTribehenin
Emollient
Tridecyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientPEG-8 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-25
CleansingDipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Masking
Eugenol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Lanolin Wax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pvp, Tribehenin, Tridecyl Stearate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Tridecyl Trimellitate, PEG-8 Beeswax, Ceteareth-25, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, PEG-40 Castor Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Benzoate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Eugenol, Linalool, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerAlcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Ceteareth-25 comes from Cetearyl Alcohol. (And Cetearyl Alcohol is created from cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol.
This ingredient is a fatty alcohol used as an emulsifier and surfactant. As an emulsifier, it helps oil mix with water.
Like cetearyl alcohol, Ceteareth-25 can help thicken and create a gel-like consistency.
Learn more about Ceteareth-25Cetearyl 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 AlcoholLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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.
Pvp is a water-soluble synthetic polymer and common hairstyling ingredient. It is a film-forming ingredient and used to "hold" specific shapes of hair.
In cosmetics, PVP helps products like sunscreens and color cosmetics last longer and wear more evenly.
It is less effective in high-humidity. It tends to draw moisture, but this moisture dismantles the structure and "hold".
PVP is generally well tolerated on skin and toxicity studies are negative for dermal irritation.
Learn more about PvpWater. 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
