What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Flour
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Water
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Honey
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel
Skin ConditioningPelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Styrax Benzoin Resin Extract
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Flour, Water, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Lavandula Angustifolia Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Honey, Stearic Acid, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Glycerin, Styrax Benzoin Resin Extract, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Citrus Limon Peel
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Carica Papaya Fruit Juice
HumectantTriethanolamine
BufferingOenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Citrus Reticulata Fruit
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantifolia Peel
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Citrus Limon Peel, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Stearic Acid, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycerin, Carica Papaya Fruit Juice, Triethanolamine, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Citrus Reticulata Fruit, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Parfum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene 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 LimoneneMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenParfum 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 ParfumPropylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben with antifungal and antimicrobial properties.
This ingredient can be naturally found in plants and insects, but most of it is synthetically manufactured for human use. In cosmetics, it is usually created by reacting para-aminobenzoic acid and propanol (an alcohol).
You can usually find this ingredient in water-based products.
Parabens have come under controversy due to the claim they are hormone disruptors. Studies show conflicting results. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Propylparaben is commonly found in food, medicine, and cosmetics.
Learn more about PropylparabenStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about Triethanolamine
