What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBrassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningDisodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPEG/PPG-120/10 Trimethylolpropane Trioleate
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCoconut Acid
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientBis-PCA Dimethicone
Citric Acid
BufferingGlycol Distearate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantLaureth-2
CleansingDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSodium Isethionate
CleansingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantBenzoic Acid
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePolyquaternium-6
Polyquaternium-7
Chlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate, PEG/PPG-120/10 Trimethylolpropane Trioleate, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Coconut Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Bis-PCA Dimethicone, Citric Acid, Glycol Distearate, Butylene Glycol, Laureth-2, Dicaprylyl Ether, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Benzoic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Polyquaternium-6, Polyquaternium-7, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-8 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningFragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterParfum
MaskingPropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlycine
BufferingSodium Lactate
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingMagnesium Nitrate
Magnesium Chloride
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Dicaprylyl Ether, Decyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Parfum, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Glycine, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Nitrate, Magnesium Chloride, CI 16035, CI 19140
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 AlcoholButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCitric 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 AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is below the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideDicaprylyl Ether is created from caprylic acid. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Ether is non-comedogenic. It helps soften and smooth the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, helping to hydrate the skin.
Dicaprylyl Ether gives a non-greasy feel and better spreadability to products.
Learn more about Dicaprylyl EtherGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Oleate is the ester of glycerin and oleic acid. This ingredient is mainly an emollient and emulsifier.
Emollients soften and hydrate the skin by creating a thin film on top to trap in moisture. As an emulsifier, glyceryl oleate helps stabilize formulations by preventing ingredients such as oil and water from separating. According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps helps thicken water-in-oil formulations, shower gels, and hair shampoos.
In some products, this ingredient may be used as a fragrance / perfuming ingredient. The scent of this ingredient is described to be "waxy".
Glyceryl oleate is created from oils rich in oleic acid, such as peanut oil and olive oil.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Glyceryl OleateWe don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Quinoa yet.
Limonene 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 LimoneneLinalool 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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