What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantVp/Va Copolymer
Polyurethane-14
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlycerin
HumectantAmp-Acrylates Copolymer
Citric Acid
BufferingPolyquaternium-72
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingParfum
MaskingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
Skin ConditioningBenzophenone-4
UV AbsorberEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
EmollientSaccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Skin ConditioningWater, Propylene Glycol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Polyurethane-14, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Amp-Acrylates Copolymer, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-72, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Benzophenone-4, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Water
Skin ConditioningDistearyldimonium Chloride
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingHydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
PEG-35 Castor Oil
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningAesculus Hippocastanum Extract
AntioxidantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialMethylparaben
PreservativeButylparaben
MaskingEthylparaben
PreservativePolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Extract
AntioxidantPropylparaben
PreservativeBisabolol
AntioxidantSaccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Calcium Pantothenate
Inositol
HumectantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingSorbic Acid
PreservativeSaccharomyces/Iron Ferment
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicSaccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Distearyldimonium Chloride, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, PEG-35 Castor Oil, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Alcohol Denat., Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Propylparaben, Bisabolol, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Calcium Pantothenate, Inositol, Retinyl Palmitate, Linoleic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Biotin, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 GlycolThis ingredient comes from fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces) with copper ions.
Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment isn't fungal acne safe.
Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment isn't fungal acne safe.
Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment isn't fungal acne safe.
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment isn't fungal acne safe.
Water. 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