What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientLevulinic Acid
PerfumingGlycerin
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativePalmitamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
Keratin Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningMeadowfoam Delta-Lactone
Skin ConditioningSilicone Quaternium-22
Tocopherol
AntioxidantCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientOleic Acid
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingPolyquaternium-67
Propylene Glycol
HumectantIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventAmodimethicone
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPPG-3 Myristyl Ether
EmollientDimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientMethyl Vinyl Ether/Maleic Acid Copolymer
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyimide-1
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Levulinic Acid, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Palmitamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Keratin Amino Acids, Meadowfoam Delta-Lactone, Silicone Quaternium-22, Tocopherol, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Diisostearyl Malate, Oleic Acid, Tromethamine, Polyquaternium-67, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Amodimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PPG-3 Myristyl Ether, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Methyl Vinyl Ether/Maleic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyimide-1, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingCetyl Esters
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPolyquaternium-10
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingTaurine
BufferingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
Perfuming2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantGlycine
BufferingValine
MaskingSerine
MaskingAlanine
MaskingThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
MaskingHistidine
HumectantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Stearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Cetyl Esters, Sodium Citrate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Polyquaternium-10, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Taurine, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Valine, Serine, Alanine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Proline, Phenylalanine, Histidine
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinIsopropyl Alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. It is most commonly used as a solvent, meaning it helps other ingredients dissolve.
This ingredient is an astringent alcohol. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin as they high amounts may strip away your skin's natural oils.
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 Isopropyl AlcoholParfum 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.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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