What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAmodimethicone
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialSteartrimonium Chloride
PreservativeDimethicone
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Parfum
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Amodimethicone, Trideceth-12, Cetrimonium Chloride, Steartrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Isopropyl Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingPolyquaternium-37
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientC10-40 Isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium Ethosulfate
Silicone Quaternium-18
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantParfum
MaskingLaurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
PerfumingQuaternium-33
Benzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Polyquaternium-37, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, C10-40 Isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium Ethosulfate, Silicone Quaternium-18, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Trideceth-12, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-6, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Parfum, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Coumarin, Quaternium-33, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateBenzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholThis 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 OilParfum 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.
We don't have a description for Trideceth-12 yet.
Water. 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