What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlmond Milk
Coconut Milk
Oat Milk
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Parfum
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCitrus Limon Juice
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract
MaskingVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Anise Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Cinnamate
Perfuming
Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Oat Milk, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Parfum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethyl Macadamiate, C13-15 Alkane, Citrus Limon Juice, Propylene Glycol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Cetrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Anise Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Cinnamal, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningIsobutane
Propane
Acrylates Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyquaternium-11
Ceteareth-25
CleansingHydroxyethyl Cetyldimonium Phosphate
SurfactantAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butane
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Ethane
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Isobutane, Propane, Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-11, Ceteareth-25, Hydroxyethyl Cetyldimonium Phosphate, Aminomethyl Propanol, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butane, Benzophenone-4, Ethane, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citral, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
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 CitralLimonene 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 LimoneneParfum 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPropylene 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 GlycolWater. 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
