What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicAcetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin ProtectingTrifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentCucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
EmollientPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningNephelium Lappaceum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantMentha Piperita Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBisabolol
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPropanediol
SolventPanthenol
Skin ConditioningNitrogen
Propylene Glycol
HumectantDextran
Menthol
MaskingParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingWater, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Biotin, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Polyglutamic Acid, Nephelium Lappaceum Seed Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Mentha Piperita Oil, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Bisabolol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Maltodextrin, Propanediol, Panthenol, Nitrogen, Propylene Glycol, Dextran, Menthol, Parfum, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-10
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Dextran
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin ProtectingTrifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentOligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicNicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-9
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-86
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-11
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLecithin
EmollientArginine
MaskingPropanediol
SolventCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
PerfumingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Caffeine, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Oligopeptide-10, Pullulan, Dextran, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Oligopeptide-2, Biotin, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-9, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-86, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Benzyl Alcohol, Lecithin, Arginine, Propanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Tocopherol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This biometic peptide is designed to support hair growth.
According to a manufacturer, it stimulates hair growth by:
The manufacturer has found combining this ingredient with red clover extract (Capixyl) boosted benefits. Not only does it enforce the scalp's extracellular matrix, it also inhibits the enzyme that creates DHT, a hormone that leads to hair loss.
While this ingredient is promising, more research is still needed to confirm its full effectiveness.
Learn more about Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3Alcohol 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.Biotin is a B vitamin that is naturally produced by our bodies. It is also called Vitamin H.
Our bodies use biotin in the metabolism process. It also helps our bodies use enzymes and move nutrients around. A biotin deficiency can lead to brittle hair and nails.
More research is needed on applying biotin topically. However, taking biotin orally has been shown to help nourish the skin, hair, and nails. They play a role in forming skin-hydrating fatty acids.
Biotin is water-soluble. It can be found in foods such as fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and meat. Vitamin H stands for "haar" and "haut". These are the German words for hair and skin.
Learn more about BiotinButylene 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 GlycolDextran is a sugar (polysaccharide) with skin hydrating properties.
Fun fact: Louis Pasteur first discovered this ingredient as a microbial product in wine.
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 âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
Itâs often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolThis extract comes from the flower more commonly known as red clover.
Water. 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