What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningC13-16 Isoalkane
SolventC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Behenate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAnigozanthos Flavidus Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCollagen
MoisturisingDunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningBehenic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin ConditioningJojoba Esters
EmollientPolyglycerin-3
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion StabilisingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTriethyl Citrate
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Citric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Persea Gratissima Oil, C13-16 Isoalkane, C10-18 Triglycerides, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Behenate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Collagen, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Phytosphingosine, Behenic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Jojoba Esters, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Triethyl Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Levulinate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientSucrose Polystearate
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientUndecane
EmollientParfum
MaskingTriheptanoin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTridecane
PerfumingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantXylitylglucoside
HumectantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAnhydroxylitol
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingXylitol
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAnigozanthos Flavidus Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantTrehalose
HumectantLinalool
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingAmyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
MaskingJuniperus Virginiana Oil
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingLavandula Hybrida Oil
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingCommiphora Myrrha Gum Oil
PerfumingOpoponax Oil
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingMentha Viridis Leaf Oil
AstringentVetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
MaskingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sucrose Polystearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Undecane, Parfum, Triheptanoin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tridecane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Anhydroxylitol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Xylitol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Phenoxyethanol, Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract, Disodium EDTA, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, Trehalose, Linalool, Coumarin, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Commiphora Myrrha Gum Oil, Opoponax Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract yet.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 ParfumJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum