What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentPEG-40 Stearate
EmulsifyingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingShorea Robusta Seed Butter
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientParaffin
PerfumingZea Mays Kernel Extract
Stearic Acid
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingIsohexadecane
EmollientSalicyloyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine
Skin ConditioningFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Cinnamate
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, PEG-40 Stearate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Shorea Robusta Seed Butter, Paraffinum Liquidum, Paraffin, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Microcrystalline Wax, Sorbitan Tristearate, Glycine Soja Protein, Triethanolamine, Isohexadecane, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Myristyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Faex Extract, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Retinyl Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citral, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSecale Cereale Seed Extract
AbrasiveSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientNylon-12
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
CleansingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Benzyl Salicylate
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAlpinia Galanga Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Citronellol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Silica, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Synthetic Wax, CI 77163, CI 77891, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Adenosine, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Nylon-12, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Alpinia Galanga Leaf Extract, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium EDTA, Citronellol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholBenzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
Learn more about Benzyl BenzoateBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitronellol 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 CitronellolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecaneLinalool 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 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.
Water. 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