What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMenthol
Masking
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sea Water
HumectantSaccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientSpirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Milk Protein Extract
Pearl Extract
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCeratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract
MaskingTropolone
Skin ConditioningEcklonia Cava Extract
Skin ConditioningGelidium Cartilagineum Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment
Skin ConditioningUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningBacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningHizikia Fusiforme Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Pearl
Skin ConditioningAureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCollagen
Moisturising
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glucose
Humectant
Mannose
HumectantCollagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Methionine
Skin ConditioningCysteine
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sorbitol
Humectant
Fructan
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Oligopeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Isopropyl Myristate, Alcohol Denat., Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Water, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Menthol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Biotin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sea Water, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Milk Protein Extract, Pearl Extract, Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract, Tropolone, Ecklonia Cava Extract, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactococcus Ferment, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Soluble Collagen, Citric Acid, Aspergillus Ferment, Hizikia Fusiforme Extract, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Pearl, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Ethylhexylglycerin, Collagen, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Glucose, Mannose, Collagen Amino Acids, Lysine, Arginine, Methionine, Cysteine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Disodium EDTA, Maltodextrin, Sorbitol, Fructan, Fructooligosaccharides, Oligopeptide-3, Oligopeptide-1, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Eugenol, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Seed Oil
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Oyster Sterols
EmollientHydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningPolyurethane-14
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingAmp-Acrylates Copolymer
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Dihydroxymethylsilylpropoxy Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Casein
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Steartrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Oyster Sterols, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Polyurethane-14, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Glycine, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Citrate, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Amp-Acrylates Copolymer, Zinc Sulfate, Dihydroxymethylsilylpropoxy Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Casein, Alcohol, Steartrimonium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Soy Protein is a vegan protein made to mimic hydrolyzed collagen. It is created from soy, or glycine soja.
This ingredient is a humectant, meaning it helps hydrate the skin by binding to water. According to a manufacturer, it is also a great hair conditioner.
Read more about hydrolyzed collagen here.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Soy ProteinParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
