What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-11
Quaternium-52
SurfactantSteartrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Palmitamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Prunus Persica Kernel Oil
Emollient
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Barley Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientHydrolyzed Potato Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sweet Almond Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Leucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Methionine
Skin ConditioningLysine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingThreonine
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tryptophan
MaskingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Cetyl Alcohol, Water, Myristyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-11, Quaternium-52, Steartrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Behentrimonium Chloride, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Linalool, Palmitamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxycitronellal, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Geraniol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Lauryl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Prunus Persica Kernel Oil, Rosa Damascena Extract, Hydrolyzed Barley Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Hydrolyzed Potato Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Sweet Almond Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Allantoin, Panthenol, Leucine, Phenylalanine, Methionine, Lysine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Valine, Threonine, Copper Tripeptide-1, Tryptophan, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ceramide NP
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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%.
Limonene 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 LimoneneMyristyl Alcohol is type of fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
As an emollient, myristyl alcohol hydrates the skin by trapping moisture in.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent alcohols.
The FDA allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Myristyl AlcoholParfum 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 ParfumPropylene 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
