What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Amodimethicone
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Lemon Protein
HumectantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Behentrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Isopropyl Alcohol, Trideceth-6, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hcl, Hexyl Cinnamal, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Citric Acid, Cetrimonium Chloride, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Tocopherol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Lemon Protein, CI 19140, CI 15985, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Silk Amino Acids
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Quaternium-80
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Behentrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Silk Amino Acids, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Quaternium-80, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Parfum, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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 Water
