What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCetyl Esters
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberCI 60725
Cosmetic ColorantDecyl Glucoside
CleansingDipotassium Phosphate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberGeraniol
PerfumingHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
AntioxidantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantPolyaminopropyl Biguanide
PreservativePotassium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
MaskingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isohexadecane, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, CI 60725, Decyl Glucoside, Dipotassium Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Geraniol, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Limonene, Linalool, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Potassium Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Parfum
Reviews
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 AlcoholParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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