What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Hydrolyzed Algin
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningMaris Aqua
HumectantFarnesol
Perfuming
Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract
MaskingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Urea, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Octyldodecanol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Myristyl Myristate, Triethyl Citrate, Hydrolyzed Algin, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Maris Aqua, Farnesol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, BHT, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Potassium Stearate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Lanolin
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Camphor
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Sodium Caproyl/Lauroyl Lactylate
AntimicrobialTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Cymbopogon Nardus Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Potassium Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Lanolin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Camphor, Menthol, Sodium Caproyl/Lauroyl Lactylate, Triethyl Citrate, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Cymbopogon Nardus Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil, Parfum, Ethylparaben, Caprylyl Glycol, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Alternatives
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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylparaben is a preservative, is a paraben, and is not reef safe.
Glyceryl 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 StearateMethylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.
This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.
In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.
Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:
Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.
You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually.
It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.
There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.
But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted levels.
Learn more about MethylparabenPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTriethyl Citrate comes from citric acid. It has masking, perfuming, and solvent properties. As a solvent, this ingredient helps disperse ingredients evenly in skincare.
One manufacturer claims this ingredient can:
According to perfume manufacturers, this ingredient is almost odorless but has a mild fruity, wine and plum scent. It can be used to mask the scent of other ingredients.
This ingredient can be plant-sourced or synthetic; it can naturally be found in cabbage and white wine.
Learn more about Triethyl CitrateWater. 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
