What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Dicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Steareth-6
EmulsifyingAcetic Acid
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Trideceth-10
CleansingTrideceth-3
EmulsifyingTrisodium Hedta
Limonene
Perfuming
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Amodimethicone
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Bis-Cetearyl Amodimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Coco-Betaine, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxycitronellal, Phenoxyethanol, Steareth-6, Acetic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Trideceth-10, Trideceth-3, Trisodium Hedta, Limonene, Candelilla Cera, Linalool, Isopropyl Myristate, Amodimethicone, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hexyl Cinnamal, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Dimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Isohexadecane
EmollientParfum
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTrehalose
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Sodium Sulfate
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Ceramide Ng, Arginine, Lysine Hcl, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Dimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Behentrimonium Chloride, Isohexadecane, Parfum, Lactic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Gluconolactone, Sodium Chloride, Trehalose, Disodium EDTA, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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%.
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Hexyl 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 CinnamalLimonene 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 ParfumChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
