What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Polyquaternium-37
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Starch
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sh-Oligopeptide-78
Surfactant
Parfum
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Potassium Sorbate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Tocopherol, Sh-Oligopeptide-78, Parfum, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientLitchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Starch
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Litchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Retinyl Palmitate, Disodium Phosphate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citral, Mica, CI 77891, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetyl Esters, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Isopropyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Copper Tripeptide-1
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 preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
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 AlcoholCetyl Esters is an emollient with an interesting backstory: it's a synthetic wax originally designed to be a copy of spermaceti, a waxy material that used to be harvested from whales.
This ingredient delivers the same "velvety" feel without anything animal-derived (usually made from coconut or palm-sourced fatty alcohols/acids).
Chemically, it's a blend of esters from 14-18 fatty acids and alcohols that is a solid at room temperature but melts on contact with skin. It helps soften and smooth the skin while improving the feel and spread of products.
Typical use concentrations range from 1-10% (most commonly 2-5%).
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded it's safe as used and has shown no skin irritation in available studies.
Because it's a blend of fatty acid esters in the chain-length range that Malassezia can feed on, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetyl EstersThis ingredient is a plant-derived protein made by breaking down wheat proteins into smaller amino acids and peptides. It has skin and hair conditioning properties.
People with known wheat allergy or a history of immediate reactions should be cautious with leave-on products containing hydrolyzed wheat proteins.
We don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch yet.
Limonene 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 LinaloolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
