What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingGlycogen
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingLinalool
Perfuming
Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Abies Sibirica Oil
Masking
Artemisia Herba-Alba Oil
Masking
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Origanum Majorana Herb Oil
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Coumarin
Perfuming
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Abies Balsamea Extract
Perfuming
Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil
Masking
Piper Nigrum Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Betaine, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Glycogen, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Benzoic Acid, Arginine, Caffeine, Dehydroacetic Acid, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Linalool, Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Abies Sibirica Oil, Artemisia Herba-Alba Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Origanum Majorana Herb Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Coumarin, Gluconolactone, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Abies Balsamea Extract, Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil, Piper Nigrum Fruit Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEpilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Benzoic Acid, Carbomer, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is an organic acid that shows up in cosmetics as a preservative. It helps keep a product from spoiling by holding back the growth of yeast, mold, and some bacteria.
This ingredient also functions as a fragrance ingredient that helps mask the unpleasant scent of other ingredients.
The way it works is worth understanding; benzoic acid works when the formula is acidic. It is able to sneak into a microbe's cell and mess up how it functions to stop it from growing in an acidic product.
However, the acid switches to an inactive form and stops working if a product isn't acidic enough (above ~5 pH). This is why you'll often see it in low pH products or teamed up with other preservatives to cover the gap.
Safety wise, it's one of the better studied preservatives out there.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
A large international review found this ingredient had no effects on the human body and had low irritation potential.
Just so you know, real world use is usually much lower than the 5% ceiling (usually 1% of less).
The EU caps it at 2.5% in rinse-off products, 1.7% in oral care, and 0.5% in leave-on products.
One thing worth mentioning (it's nothing to worry about): some people get a little stinging or flushing where they apply it. This isn't a true allergy; it's a temporary and harmless reaction. This is the same kind of mild tingle you might notice from sorbic acid.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
