What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsohexadecane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientIsopropyl Isostearate
EmollientAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentPropylene Glycol
HumectantNylon-12
Octyldodecanol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Polyethylene
AbrasiveSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentStearic Acid
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Isostearate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Propylene Glycol, Nylon-12, Octyldodecanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyethylene, Sodium Polyacrylate, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingAlgin
MaskingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Pullulan
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Isoamyl Laurate, Squalane, Propanediol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Sodium Gluconate, Trehalose, Urea, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Pentylene Glycol, Serine, Algin, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pullulan, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Phosphate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinParfum 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 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 Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum