What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil Phytosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Cocos Nucifera Liquid Endosperm
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Algin
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Sea Water
HumectantLaurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
Skin ConditioningPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-37
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil Phytosterol Esters, Cocos Nucifera Liquid Endosperm, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Hydrolyzed Algin, Arginine Hcl, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Sea Water, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Phosphatidylcholine, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyquaternium-37, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Gluconate, Glyceryl Laurate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Linalool, Limonene, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sh-Polypeptide-121
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningQuaternium-80
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Lauryl Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-17 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sh-Polypeptide-121, Oryza Sativa Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Quaternium-80, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Lauryl Laurate, Panthenol, Glycereth-17 Cocoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
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%.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholParfum 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 SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
