What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingParfum
MaskingCoconut Alkanes
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientOlealkonium Chloride
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
SurfactantBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeVp/Va Copolymer
Xylitol
HumectantSalvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingEthyl Linoleate
EmollientIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientEthyl Oleate
EmollientSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-37
Alcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPolyquaternium-11
Stearamine Oxide
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Glycerides Polyglyceryl-10 Esters
EmollientGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Phosphate
BufferingPolyquaternium-7
Caprylic Acid
CleansingOleamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingAlcohol
AntimicrobialLaurtrimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingSodium Bisulfite
AntioxidantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum, Coconut Alkanes, Cetyl Alcohol, Olealkonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Vp/Va Copolymer, Xylitol, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Trehalose, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Ethyl Linoleate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethyl Oleate, Sorbitan Oleate, Polyquaternium-37, Alcohol Denat., Polyquaternium-11, Stearamine Oxide, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides Polyglyceryl-10 Esters, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Phosphate, Polyquaternium-7, Caprylic Acid, Oleamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Alcohol, Laurtrimonium Chloride, Sodium Bisulfite, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-12 Glyceryl Dimyristate
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingHydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBehentrimonium Methosulfate
SurfactantDistearyldimonium Chloride
Dimethiconol
EmollientCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingBHT
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-12 Glyceryl Dimyristate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Dimethiconol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, BHT, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil comes from the seeds of the safflower plant. It is a skin conditioning agent that helps soften skin and keep it hydrated.
This seed oil has an unusual fatty acid profile: it is one of the highest linoleic acid plant oils out there (~55-77%). It also has low amounts of oleic acid, and this high-linoleic/low-oleic ratio gets people excited.
Linoleic acid helps maintain skin barrier integrity and is a building block for the ceramides in your stratum corneum. Notably, people with acne tend to have lower linoleic acid in their skin lipids as well (and this gets worse as acne gets more severe).
Overall, it's a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil that has a long safety track record. Lab testing has found it to be non-irritating for skin or eyes.
The Malassezia yeast can metabolize the fatty acids in this oil to grow; therefore this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneParfum 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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