What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexyl Olivate
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeParfum
MaskingHydroxyoctanone
Polyquaternium-73
Isopropyl Alcohol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingRose Ketone-4
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPinene
MaskingCoumarin
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAmyl Cinnamal
Perfuming3-Methyl-5-(2,2,3-Trimethyl-3-Cyclopentenyl)Pent-4-En-2-Ol
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingBenzaldehyde
MaskingWater, Propanediol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Hydroxyoctanone, Polyquaternium-73, Isopropyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, Rose Ketone-4, Benzyl Alcohol, Pinene, Coumarin, Benzyl Benzoate, Amyl Cinnamal, 3-Methyl-5-(2,2,3-Trimethyl-3-Cyclopentenyl)Pent-4-En-2-Ol, Citral, Benzaldehyde
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPetroleum Distillates
SolventHydrogenated Petroleum Resin
Lanolin
EmollientPEG-75 Lanolin
EmollientOctanediol
Anhydroglucitol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantAmodimethicone
7-Methoxy-3,7-Dimethyloct-1-Ene
PerfumingAlpha-Methyl-Alpha-Ionone
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingGlycerin
HumectantBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingAlcohol
AntimicrobialC12-16 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingLard Glycerides
EmollientCitronellol
PerfumingBenzyl Cinnamate
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingSodium Benzoate
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Petroleum Distillates, Hydrogenated Petroleum Resin, Lanolin, PEG-75 Lanolin, Octanediol, Anhydroglucitol, Butylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, 7-Methoxy-3,7-Dimethyloct-1-Ene, Alpha-Methyl-Alpha-Ionone, Hexyl Cinnamal, Glycerin, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Trideceth-9, Alcohol, C12-16 Pareth-9, Lard Glycerides, Citronellol, Benzyl Cinnamate, Geraniol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Benzoate, Amyl Cinnamal, Eugenol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Amyl Cinnamal is a synthetically produced fragrance. Its scent is reminiscent of jasmine flowers.
Amyl Cinnamal is a known EU allergen. This means it is known to cause skin sensitivity and allergies.
Benzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
Learn more about Benzyl BenzoateBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolGeraniol 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 GeraniolGlycerin (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 CinnamalHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseLinalool 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 LinaloolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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