What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Mangifera Indica Seed Oil, Carbomer, Zinc Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Eugenol, Citral, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingDiisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientOryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-100 Stearate
Triethanolamine
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Pentylene Glycol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Triazone, Zea Mays Starch, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Oryza Sativa Cera, Tocopherol, Stearic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Triethanolamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Palmitic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Myristic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum 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 ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Water. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
