What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
C20-40 Alkyl Stearate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Cera Alba
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Citral
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Cera Microcristallina, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetyl Palmitate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Myristyl Myristate, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, C20-40 Alkyl Stearate, Panthenol, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Cera Alba, Water, Glycerin, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Parfum
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cera Alba
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Pearl
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningNeohesperidin Dihydrochalcone
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantHelianthus Annuus Seed Cera
EmollientOctyldodecanol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cera Alba, Cocoglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Mica, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Pearl, Hydrolyzed Silk, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Water, Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone, BHT, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 15850, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera
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 AlcoholThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCera alba is beeswax, or the wax used by bees to make honeycombs. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient. A study from 2003 found beeswax to be a stronger emollient than ingredients such as petroleum jelly.
As an emollient, beeswax helps hydrate the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in.
Emulsifiers help prevent ingredients from separating. This helps create consistent texture.
The structure of beeswax is mainly long-chain alcohols and the esters of fatty acids.
There are three types of beeswax: yellow, white, and absolute. Yellow is pure beeswax taken from the honeycomb. White beeswax is created by filtering or bleaching yellow beeswax. Absolute beeswax is created by treating beeswax with alcohol. Beeswax used in cosmetics are purified.
Beeswax has been used throughout history and even in prehistoric times. Some common uses for beeswax still used today are making candles, as a waterproofing agent, and polish for leather.
Learn more about Cera AlbaOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Parfum 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 ParfumThis ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilWater. 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
