What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyethylene
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteth-2
EmulsifyingMenthyl PCA
HumectantCalendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Menthol
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Polyethylene, Glyceryl Stearate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteth-2, Menthyl PCA, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Menthol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningPhytelephas Aequatorialis Seed Powder
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Phytelephas Aequatorialis Seed Powder, Propylene Glycol, Carbomer, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Triethanolamine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolParfum 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 GlycolWater. 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
