What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
PEG-8
HumectantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPotassium Laurate
EmulsifyingPotassium Myristate
EmulsifyingPEG-32
HumectantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triethanolamine
BufferingParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, PEG-8, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Laurate, Potassium Myristate, PEG-32, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Triethanolamine, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-8 Stearate
Emulsifying
PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
Emulsifying
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Triethanolamine
BufferingDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, PEG-8 Stearate, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Triethanolamine, Diazolidinyl Urea, Mica, CI 77891, CI 19140, CI 42090, CI 15985
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract comes from the flesh of the papaya. It's a skin conditioning agent that carries a mix of bioactives like papain, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.
These bioactive compounds give it two main talking points:
1. Papain is a proteolytic enzyme that provides mild exfoliation, helping skin look smoother and more even.
2. The carotenoids and vitamin C provide some antioxidant activity.
It's pretty compatible with most ingredients, but just sure to space out enzyme products with strong acids/retinoids to avoid over-doing it.
Maximum reported concentration is around 0.1% and most leave-on products use just 0.05%. If you see higher figures like 5-10%, this is usually the pre-diluted material from raw extract suppliers.
This ingredient has an assuring safety record and there's a lack of clinical case reports of dermatitis from using it.
The only caveat is allergy: patch test if you have a papaya or latex-fruit allergy.
Learn more about Carica Papaya Fruit ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinMethylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.
This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.
In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.
Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:
Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.
You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually.
It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.
There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.
But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted levels.
Learn more about MethylparabenParfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
