K18 Hair Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask Versus L'Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair 10-In-1 Hair Oil for Damaged Hair
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sh-Oligopeptide-78
Surfactant
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Starch
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetyl Esters, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Sh-Oligopeptide-78, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Isopropyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Parfum, Geraniol, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
PEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCitronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningCitral
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Beeswax, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Myristate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Guar, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triethanolamine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, PEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Salicylate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Trideceth-6, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Citral, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tocopherol, 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.
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 AlcoholGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolHexyl 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 CinnamalThis ingredient is a plant-derived protein made by breaking down wheat proteins into smaller amino acids and peptides. It has skin and hair conditioning properties.
People with known wheat allergy or a history of immediate reactions should be cautious with leave-on products containing hydrolyzed wheat proteins.
Linalool 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 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.
Tocopherol 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
