What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Propanediol, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Caprylyl Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, P-Anisic Acid, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Madecassoside, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Yeast Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Secale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Calcium Pantothenate
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Disodium EDTA, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Calcium Pantothenate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Linalool, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
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 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 AlcoholBenzyl 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 SalicylateDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAWe don't have a description for Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid yet.
Linalool 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 ParfumPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene 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
