What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningApigenin
Antioxidant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Amodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer
PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
Emulsifying
Trideceth-5
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Dextran
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Quaternium-95
UV AbsorberPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Glycol Distearate, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Oleanolic Acid, Apigenin, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Piroctone Olamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Trideceth-5, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Dextran, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Quaternium-95, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Chloride, Propanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 16035, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil
Masking
Angelica Archangelica Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Behentrimonium Chloride, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Angelica Archangelica Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Isopropyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene
Reviews
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 AcidDehydroacetic 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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.
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 SorbateWater. 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
