What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Amodimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates Copolymer
Parfum
Masking
C11-15 Pareth-5
EmulsifyingC11-15 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAcetic Acid
BufferingBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
PEG-5 Cocomonium Methosulfate
Sodium Glutamate
MaskingHydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Casein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Dimethiconol, Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Amodimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates Copolymer, Parfum, C11-15 Pareth-5, C11-15 Pareth-9, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Decylene Glycol, Acetic Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Isoeugenol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, PEG-5 Cocomonium Methosulfate, Sodium Glutamate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Casein, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Polyquaternium-28
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-37
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientDimethiconol
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Polyquaternium-28, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Parfum, Polyquaternium-37, Stearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Dimethiconol, Steareth-21, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Citric Acid, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Hexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalHydrolyzed Keratin is derived from keratin. Keratin is a large protein that is naturally found in our hair and skin.
Studies show keratin is able to seal broken hair cuticles, helping to prevent split ends and breakage.
As a humectant, hydrolyzed keratin helps draw moisture from the air to your hair and skin. This helps keep your skin and hair hydrated.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed KeratinLinalool 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 LinaloolPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
