What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialNeopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingAmmonium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingAmmonium Xylenesulfonate
Glycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingSaponaria Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningYucca Schidigera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingDimethyl Lauramine Oleate
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Dimethyl Mea
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialLimonene
PerfumingLauryl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Sulfate
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingOleic Acid
EmollientSodium Acetate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Glycolate
BufferingDimethylaminopropylamine
Isopropyl Alcohol
SolventSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantSodium Sulfite
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Tetrasodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Ammonium Xylenesulfonate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Root Extract, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Polysorbate 20, Dimethyl Lauramine Oleate, Polyquaternium-10, Dimethyl Mea, Citric Acid, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Lauryl Alcohol, Ammonium Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Oleic Acid, Sodium Acetate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Glycolate, Dimethylaminopropylamine, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol
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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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