What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alcohol Denat., Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Lecithin, Sodium Phytate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycogen
HumectantSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Sucrose
Humectant
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Arginine, Benzyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycogen, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Parfum, Sucrose, Plankton Extract, Lecithin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Citral, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic 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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool 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 ParfumSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
