What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Farnesene
EmollientBrassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Phyllostachys Bambusoides Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Farnesene, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Squalane, Phyllostachys Bambusoides Extract, Glycerin, Biotin, Panthenol, Diheptyl Succinate, Cetearyl Olivate, Tocopherol, Sorbitan Olivate, Aspartic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Brassica Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Keratin Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningAcanthus Mollis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Saccharina Longicruris Extract
HumectantAcyl Coenzyme A Desaturase
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Isododecane
EmollientGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Brassica Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetyl Esters, Parfum, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Palmitate, Oryza Sativa Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Keratin Amino Acids, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract, Acanthus Mollis Leaf Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Saccharina Longicruris Extract, Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase, Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract, Cetrimonium Chloride, Isododecane, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate, Dehydroacetic Acid, 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.
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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
