What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Mannose
HumectantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sucrose Tristearate
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Steareth-10
Emulsifying
Isobutane
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingToluene Sulfonic Acid
SurfactantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Isocetyl Stearate, Glycerin, Mannose, Ascorbic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Sucrose Tristearate, Potassium Hydroxide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Steareth-10, Isobutane, Madecassoside, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Xanthan Gum, Toluene Sulfonic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientArtemia Extract
Skin ConditioningC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetrimonium Bromide
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Isododecane, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Artemia Extract, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, C14-22 Alcohols, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetrimonium Bromide, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 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 ParfumWater. 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 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
