What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Petrolatum
EmollientBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientBentonite
AbsorbentHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientKaolin
AbrasiveVp/Va Copolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingCeteareth-25
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingSilica
AbrasivePvp
Emulsion StabilisingBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater
Skin ConditioningCanola Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPvp
Emulsion StabilisingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingKaolin
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantSteareth-21
CleansingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentSilica
AbrasiveOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentTocopherol
AntioxidantC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantAlumina
AbrasiveTriethoxycaprylylsilane
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingEugenol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingHydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Canola Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Cetyl Alcohol, Pvp, C14-22 Alcohols, Kaolin, Glycerin, Steareth-21, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Zea Mays Starch, Tocopherol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Alumina, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, CI 77499, Parfum, Eugenol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinHydrogenated Castor Oil (aka "castor wax") is what you get when castor oil is turned into a wax.
Its dominant fatty acid is ricinoleic acid, giving it both emollient and mild humectant properties.
According to EU CosIng, this ingredient helps soften skin, keep oil and water stay mixed, and thickens products.
Hydrogenated castor oil at 30% did not trigger a positive patch-test reaction and is well-tolerated.
Since this ingredient is based on an 18-carbon fatty acid, it falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia can feed on and may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Hydrogenated Castor OilKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinParfum 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.
Pvp is a water-soluble synthetic polymer and common hairstyling ingredient. It is a film-forming ingredient and used to "hold" specific shapes of hair.
In cosmetics, PVP helps products like sunscreens and color cosmetics last longer and wear more evenly.
It is less effective in high-humidity. It tends to draw moisture, but this moisture dismantles the structure and "hold".
PVP is generally well tolerated on skin and toxicity studies are negative for dermal irritation.
Learn more about PvpSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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