What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Quaternium-80
Arginine
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Serine
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Tyrosine
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Glycine, Citric Acid, Parfum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cetrimonium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Glutamic Acid, Quaternium-80, Arginine, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Serine, Linalool, Tyrosine
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Quaternium-87
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Amodimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Trideceth-5
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Trideceth-10
CleansingLactic Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningAminopropyl Triethoxysilane
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Acetic Acid
BufferingPolyquaternium-6
Parfum
Masking
Water, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Quaternium-87, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Candelilla Cera, Methylparaben, Trideceth-5, Glycerin, Arginine, Panthenol, Trideceth-10, Lactic Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Limonene, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Aminopropyl Triethoxysilane, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Acetic Acid, Polyquaternium-6, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineGlycerin (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 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.
Propylene 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
