What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Quaternium-87
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCetyl Esters
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCandelilla Cera
Emollient
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Water, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Quaternium-87, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cetyl Esters, Caprylyl Glycol, Capryloyl Glycine, Candelilla Cera, Isopropyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, CI 42090, CI 19140, Parfum
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
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
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%.
Cetyl Esters is a synthetic wax made up of mostly fatty acids and fatty alcohols. It is strcturally similar to wax taken from whales.
As an emollient, it creates a thin barrier on the skin. This barrier prevents moisture from escaping.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Cetyl EstersGeraniol 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 GeraniolIsopropyl Alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. It is most commonly used as a solvent, meaning it helps other ingredients dissolve.
This ingredient is an astringent alcohol. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin as they high amounts may strip away your skin's natural oils.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Isopropyl AlcoholLinalool 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
