What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-8
HumectantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-8, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingPropanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Surfactant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Algin
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Papain, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Algin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolThis ingredient is a mild surfactant made by sticking glucose onto a blend of fatty acids.
It does two jobs because it has a sugar head that loves water and a fatty tail that loves oil:
Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.
Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.
Learn more about Caprylyl/Capryl GlucosideCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidHydroxyacetophenone 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 HydroxyacetophenoneParfum 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 ParfumChances 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
