What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingLauric Acid
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingP-Anisic Acid
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantPEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingDisodium EDTA
Rosa Gallica Flower Extract
AstringentButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingCryptomeria Japonica Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin, Water, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Lauric Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, P-Anisic Acid, Tocopherol, PEG-14m, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Disodium EDTA, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Cryptomeria Japonica Bud Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water
MaskingIsohexadecane
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Tetrasodium EDTA
Benzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
MaskingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingCitronellol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingEugenol
PerfumingCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, Isohexadecane, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Hexyl Cinnamal, Disodium Phosphate, Citronellol, Citric Acid, Eugenol, CI 15985
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 SalicylateButylphenyl Methylpropional is a synthetic fragrance. You might know it as "lilial". The scent of this ingredient is floral-like and similar to the scent of lily flowers.
In March of 2022, the EU banned this ingredient in both rinse-off and leave-on products. This is because research found Butylphenyl Methylpropional to disrupt fertility in rats.
This ingredient is also a known EU allergen, meaning it is likely to cause an allergic reaction. Irritated skin can be damaging.
We always recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns or questions about this ingredient.
Learn more about Butylphenyl MethylpropionalDisodium 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 GlycerinLimonene 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 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 Water