What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingAcrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyquaternium-10
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDilauryl Thiodipropionate
Antioxidant
Octadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
Perfuming
Hexadecanolactone
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Vanillin
Masking
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Coco-Glucoside, Parfum, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyquaternium-10, Xanthan Gum, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Octadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Hexadecanolactone, Limonene, Linalyl Acetate, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Vanillin
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
Masking
Acrylates Crosspolymer-5
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingMagnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Polyquaternium-73
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Acrylates Crosspolymer-5, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Polyquaternium-73, Propanediol, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneLimonene 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.
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
