What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Quaternium-80
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Behentrimonium Chloride, Quaternium-80, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Methylparaben, Panthenol, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Hydrolyzed Silk, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Quaternium-80
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Cinnamyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isopropyl Alcohol, Parfum, Sodium Gluconate, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Quaternium-80, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Citric Acid, Limonene, Coumarin, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Hexyl Cinnamal, Amyl Cinnamal, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Isoeugenol, Geraniol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Benzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.
D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.
It is also an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.
Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneHydroxycitronellal is a fragrance created from citronellal. The smell of hydroxycitronellal is often described as "citrus-like" or "melon-like".
Hydroxycitronellal is a known EU allergen and may cause irritation when applied to the skin.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 GlycolWe don't have a description for Quaternium-80 yet.
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
