What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingC30-45 Alkyl Methicone
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
C30-45 Olefin
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-12
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Rosa Moschata Seed Oil
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualene
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlucose
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PEG-8
HumectantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Urea
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Lysine
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Isododecane, Ceteareth-20, C30-45 Alkyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, C30-45 Olefin, Zea Mays Oil, Ceteareth-12, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Carbomer, Squalene, Parfum, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Glucose, Sodium PCA, PEG-8, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Urea, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Lactic Acid, Lysine, Allantoin, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Diethylhexyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningCocoglycerides
Emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Arctium Majus Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Niacinamide, Cyclopentasiloxane, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Vegetable Oil, PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether, Cocoglycerides, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 60, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Zinc PCA, Parfum, Salicylic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Biotin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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.
Propylene 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
