What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMyristyl Myristate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Lactose
HumectantJojoba Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Jojobate
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose
Absorbent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Diisopropyl Adipate, Stearic Acid, Arachidyl Alcohol, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Phenoxyethanol, Arachidyl Glucoside, CI 77891, Myristyl Myristate, Parfum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lactose, Jojoba Alcohol, Potassium Jojobate, Simmondsia Chinensis Butter, Cellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Glucose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Wax
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Water, Synthetic Wax, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Papain, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Algin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinParfum 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
