What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Eriophorum Spissum Flower/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Orthosiphon Stamineus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Arachidyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Behenyl Alcohol, Eriophorum Spissum Flower/Stem Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Menthyl Lactate, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid, Maltodextrin, Orthosiphon Stamineus Leaf Extract, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Limonene, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Zinc Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Menthyl Lactate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Polysorbate 20, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinMenthyl lactate is an ester of menthol and lactic acid. It is often used as a cooling agent and fragrance.
When applied topically, this ingredient leaves a refreshing sensation like menthol, but is less irritating.
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 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.
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 SorbateWater. 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
