What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantBlue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Metabisulfite, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 19140, Blue 1 Lake
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Olea Europaea Husk Oil
Skin Conditioning
Lauramide DEA
SurfactantPotassium Lauroyl Glutamate
CleansingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Potassium Chloride
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingLactic Acid
Buffering
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Butylene Glycol, PEG-2 Stearate, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Olea Europaea Husk Oil, Lauramide DEA, Potassium Lauroyl Glutamate, Alcohol, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Tocopheryl Acetate, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Sodium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, CI 77288, CI 77492
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 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 HydroxideTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
