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 ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientLitchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialLimonene
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Parfum, Glycine Soja Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Litchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene
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 most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinParfum 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water