What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningVp/Va Copolymer
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingVinyl Caprolactam/Vp/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Vp/Va Copolymer, Decyl Glucoside, Vinyl Caprolactam/Vp/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Glycerin, Parfum, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingVp/Va Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-69
Alcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Decyl Glucoside, Vp/Va Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Cocos Nucifera Water, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polyquaternium-69, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Decyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 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 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20VP/VA Copolymer is a synthetic polymer made by joining two smaller molecules (vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl acetate) into a larger chain.
It is mainly used as a film-former and fixing agent. When a product dries, it creates a thin and flexible layer on the skin, hair, or nails. This film helps hold hairstyles into place, adds a smooth feel to skin, and traps moisture to reduce dryness.
Irritation is rare at normal concentrations and it doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
Learn more about Vp/Va CopolymerWater. 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