What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ceteareth-33
CleansingMannitol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ceteareth-33, Mannitol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Tocopherol, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Coumarin
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Urea
Buffering
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Linalool
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Myroxylon Pereirae Oil
Masking
Pinene
Masking
Terpineol
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Propanediol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Urea, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Ectoin, Behenyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Betaine, Potassium Sorbate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Myroxylon Pereirae Oil, Pinene, Terpineol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
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 LimoneneLinalool 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 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 PhenoxyethanolThis ingredient is also known as PMMA. It is a polymer microsphere, composed of tiny, perfectly spherical particles formed from repeating units.
In cosmetics, PMMA is mainly used to give a soft or blurring effect. The transparent particles are able to scatter light and help reduce the appearance of fine-lines and imperfections.
PMMA is also able to enhance the texture of products by add a smooth feel.
Learn more about Polymethyl MethacrylateWater. 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
