What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Farnesene
EmollientCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine Lactate
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingSodium Gluconate
ChelatingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Hydrogenated Farnesene, Caffeine, Glycerin, Panthenol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine Lactate, Glyceryl Oleate, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Parfum, Linalool
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
ChelatingEthylhexylglycerin
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
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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Hydrogenated Farnesene yet.
Linalool is a small, naturally occurring scent molecule found in plants like lavender, coriander, bergamot, and more.
It is one of the two most-used fragrance ingredients in cosmetics and added purely for smell. Since it's not used for a skin benefit, there's no "effective dose". Concentration depends on the fragrance load of the product.
The EU requires it to be named on the label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Fresh linalool is a weak sensitizer but air exposure turns some of it into hydroperoxides, which are strong sensitizers. Those oxidation products are the actual allergy concern.
Patch-test clinics see positive reactions to linalool hydroperoxides in about 4% to 12% of dermatitis patients depending on country and test concentration.
Resassuringly, one analytical study found hydroperoxide levels in real fragranced products to be orders of magnitude below what induced sensitization in animal studies with no evidence of oxidation building up during normal storage.
The practical takeaway is that linalool is fine for most people but worth avoiding if you have a confirmed fragrance contact allergy or a badly compromised barrier.
Products stored a long time after opening are also the high-risk scenario since that is when oxidation happens.
The scent of linalool is described as floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPanthenol 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 ParfumSodium Gluconate is the sodium salt of gluconic acid. In skincare, its main job is as a chelator.
Chelators grab onto stray metal ions like iron and copper that sneak in through water, raw materials, or manufacturing equipment. This stops them from triggering reactions that cause oils to go rancid, formulas to change color, and actives like vitamin C to fall apart.
This ingredient is often chosen as a biodegradable, gentler-sounding alternative to EDTA. It also pulls double duty as a mild humectant and pH buffer.
Typical use levels sit around 0.1-1% and supplier documents list up to 10% as an acceptable ceiling. Industry data found this ingredient family is mostly used well below 1% in leave on products.
Allergy risk is very low; animal testing has found it to be non-irritating to skin and eyes, mutagenicity assays came back negative, and there are no published reports of allergic contact dermatitis to it.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateWater. 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
