What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Menthol
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Polyquaternium-11
Polyquaternium-37
Polyquaternium-55
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Water, Propanediol, Biotin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Menthol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-11, Polyquaternium-37, Polyquaternium-55, Hexapeptide-11, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Glycerin, Zinc PCA, Citric Acid, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Betaine, Isopropyl Alcohol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Diaminopyrimidine Oxide
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Safflower Glucoside
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Water, Alcohol Denat., Diaminopyrimidine Oxide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Citric Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Piroctone Olamine, Caffeine, Arginine, Limonene, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hcl, Linalool, Safflower Glucoside, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Citral, Benzyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Resveratrol, Tocopherol, BHT, Sodium Citrate, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl 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 AlcoholBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateCaffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and is rich in antioxidants.
While caffeine is used to treat cellulite and and dark circles, further studies are needed to prove this. It has been believed to help with these skin conditions due to its ability to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow.
Some studies are looking into caffeine's ability to protect against UV rays.
Learn more about CaffeineCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
