What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Alanine
MaskingArginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Histidine
Humectant
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
BufferingThreonine
Valine
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Lauryl Lactyl Lactate
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propanediol, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Alanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Threonine, Valine, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycine Soja Sterols, Glycolipids, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lauryl Lactyl Lactate, PEG-150 Distearate, Phospholipids, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Oleth-5
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disteareth-100 Ipdi
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-10
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polyquaternium-7
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Equisetum Hyemale Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carrageenan
Chitosan
Coco-Glucoside
CleansingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin Conditioning
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Oleth-5, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Disteareth-100 Ipdi, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Potassium Sorbate, Polyquaternium-7, Panthenol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Equisetum Hyemale Leaf/Stem Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Algin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carrageenan, Chitosan, Coco-Glucoside, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum
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 AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineThis ingredient is derived from guar gum.
It is a conditioning ingredient, meaning it helps soften skin and hair.
Parfum 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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.
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil is the INCI name for castor oil.
Castor Oil helps moisturize the skin. It is rich in a fatty acid called ricinoleic acid. This fatty acid helps prevent moisture loss on the skin. This helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. Ricinoleic acid also has anti-inflammatory and pain reducing properties.
Besides hydrating the skin, castor oil is also used to hydrate hair. By keeping the hair shaft moisturized, breakage is decreased. More studies are needed to show castor oil's effective on stimulating hair growth.
Castor oil is created by cold-pressing castor seeds and then purifying the oil with heat. It was used in Ancient Egypt as fuel in lamps and to help treat eye irritation.
The term '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.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
