What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
No benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Va/Crotonates Copolymer
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Vp/Va Copolymer
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Alcohol Denat., Va/Crotonates Copolymer, Isopropyl Alcohol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Cetrimonium Chloride, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Aminomethyl Propanol, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Amyl Cinnamal, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Limonene, Eugenol, Isoeugenol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningVp/Va Copolymer
Acrylates Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingQuaternium-80
Parfum
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Limonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Gossypium Herbaceum
Skin Conditioning
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Cinnamyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Vp/Va Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethanolamine, Quaternium-80, Parfum, Behentrimonium Chloride, Laureth-4, Maltodextrin, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Cinnamal, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Isoeugenol, Gossypium Herbaceum, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Extract, Benzyl Benzoate, Cinnamyl Alcohol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone is a fragrance. It can be synthetically created or naturally occurring.
The scent of Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone is described as "flowery" but can also be "woody".
Naturally occurring Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone may be found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or the yeast used to make wine and bread.
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 Alpha-Isomethyl IononeAmyl Cinnamal is a synthetically produced fragrance. Its scent is reminiscent of jasmine flowers.
Amyl Cinnamal is a known EU allergen. This means it is known to cause skin sensitivity and allergies.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolHexyl 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 CinnamalHydroxycitronellal is a fragrance created from citronellal. The smell of hydroxycitronellal is often described as "citrus-like" or "melon-like".
Hydroxycitronellal is a known EU allergen and may cause irritation when applied to the skin.
Isoeugenol is a fragrance component that is naturally occurring in plants such as ylang-ylang, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Isoeugenol is a known EU allergen. This means it is known to cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
Limonene 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 ParfumVP/VA Copolymer is a synthetic polymer made by joining two smaller molecules (vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl acetate) into a larger chain.
It is mainly used as a film-former and fixing agent. When a product dries, it creates a thin and flexible layer on the skin, hair, or nails. This film helps hold hairstyles into place, adds a smooth feel to skin, and traps moisture to reduce dryness.
Irritation is rare at normal concentrations and it doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
Learn more about Vp/Va CopolymerWater. 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
