What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arginine PCA
HumectantBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Citronellol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Myristyl Alcohol, Water, Parfum, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tocopherol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydroxycitronellal, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine PCA, Behentrimonium Chloride, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Isopropyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Citronellol, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Amyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Isostearyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMyristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSteardimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Propylene Glycol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Isostearyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Sorbitan Oleate, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Myristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Steardimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citronellol 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 CitronellolHexyl 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 CinnamalLinalool 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 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.
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
