What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-20 Glyceryl Laurate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCalcium Sodium Borosilicate
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, PEG-20 Glyceryl Laurate, Tocopherol, Linoleic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Caffeine, Arginine, Mica, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Tin Oxide, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, CI 77891, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientBenzophenone-9
UV AbsorberAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Gentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingArtemisia Absinthium Extract
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Sorbate
Preservative
Citrulline
Skin ConditioningCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Trimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caffeine, Caprylyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Benzophenone-9, Alcohol Denat., Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, Parfum, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Sorbate, Citrulline, CI 15985, CI 17200
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCaffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineDisodium 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 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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
