What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
PEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingGlycine
Buffering
Polyquaternium-7
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Malic Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Esters, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, PEG-14m, Dimethiconol, Sodium Citrate, Glycine, Polyquaternium-7, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Malic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Laureth-5 Carboxylic Acid
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-67
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Laureth-5 Carboxylic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Laureth-4, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Isopropyl Myristate, Lactic Acid, Polyquaternium-67, Polysorbate 20, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Salicylic Acid, Limonene, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalLimonene 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 ParfumSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
