What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Gentiana Scabra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMenthyl Lactate
Masking
Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide
TonicHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Royal Jelly
Castanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Viola Tricolor Extract
EmollientGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Sea Water
HumectantGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Secale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Sophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
Fomes Officinalis Extract
Skin ProtectingPyrus Cydonia Seed Extract
MaskingHibiscus Abelmoschus Seed Extract
Masking
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Panicum Miliaceum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Methyl Gluceth-10, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Allantoin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Pentylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Gentiana Scabra Root Extract, Menthyl Lactate, Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Panthenol, Royal Jelly, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sea Water, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Ectoin, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Pyrus Cydonia Seed Extract, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Seed Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Panicum Miliaceum Seed Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Disodium EDTA, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicylic Acid, Mentha Piperita Oil, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPropylene 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 GlycolWater. 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
