What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientAcrylates Copolymer
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientCastoryl Maleate
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPapain
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-7
Disodium EDTA
Triethanolamine
BufferingParfum
MaskingCI 16255
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycol Distearate, Castoryl Maleate, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Papain, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glyceryl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-7, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Parfum, CI 16255, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Niacinamide
SmoothingSqualane
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
AbrasiveSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Silica
AbrasiveAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
EmollientOligopeptide-68
BleachingButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSodium Oleate
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingSimethicone
EmollientParfum
MaskingCI 16255
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylyl Methicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Niacinamide, Squalane, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Tin Oxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Oligopeptide-68, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Oleate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Simethicone, Parfum, CI 16255
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.
Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:
In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.
The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.
A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.
Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).
Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidThis is a synthetic dye used to give a "strawberry" red color.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinParfum 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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