What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantPolyquaternium-55
Dicocodimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
MaskingHydrolyzed Sweet Almond Protein
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingSodium Laneth-40 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer
Polyquaternium-11
Sodium PCA
HumectantDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingIsoeugenol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingHydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
MaskingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Polyquaternium-55, Dicocodimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Isoamyl Laurate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Hydrolyzed Sweet Almond Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Squalane, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sodium Laneth-40 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer, Polyquaternium-11, Sodium PCA, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Parfum, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Citronellol, Citral, Benzyl Benzoate, Amyl Cinnamal, Isoeugenol, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingMethylheptyl Isostearate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativePropanediol
SolventSodium Benzoate
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Polysorbate 80, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Methylheptyl Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Linalool, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceBenzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
Learn more about Benzyl BenzoateCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidThis ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilDisodium 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 GlycerinLinalool 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 ParfumPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis 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