What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantPEG-8
HumectantZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Linalool
Perfuming
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mannitol
Humectant
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Tetrasodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, PEG-8, Zea Mays Starch, Linalool, Carbomer, Glycolic Acid, Dimethiconol, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Mannitol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Limonene, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-8
HumectantCeteareth-20
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Juice
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool 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 ParfumPEG-8 is a synthetic polymer used as a humectant and solvent.
This ingredient is able to help dissolve active ingredients, including water. This gives it humectant properties.
It is soluble in water. The number '8' stands for the molecular weight of the ingredient.
Learn more about PEG-8Phenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
