What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Polysorbate 20, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Geraniol, Citronellol, CI 19140, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Glycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Parfum
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Soluble Collagen, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Butylene Glycol, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Oryza Sativa Extract, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Isopentyldiol, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Maltodextrin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, CI 17200
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCI 17200 is a synthetic, water-soluble, reddish-pink dye. It is used purely as a cosmetic colorant.
In the US, the FDA permits this ingredient in cosmetics but it is not approved for use around the eyes while the EU allows this to be used in all cosmetic products.
The FDA requires batch-to-batch certification for this ingredient that is held to a pretty rigorous standard. That means the CI 17200 in your cosmetics has been tested and approved before it ever reaches you.
Contact allergy to cosmetic-grade dyes used at low concentrations are uncommon but has been documented before.
This ingredient also goes by the name D&C RED NO. 33.
CI 17200 has a comedogenic rating of 1 and an irritancy rating of 2 on a scale of 0-5. This is based on peer-reviewed research from the man who invented the comedogenic scale.
A 1 on the comedogenic scale is about as low as it gets without being a flat zero, and makes sense for CI 17200.
It's a water-soluble dye used at very small concentrations (typically 0.001-0.1%), so it dissolves into the water phase of a formula rather than sitting on your skin the way an oil or wax would.
The irritancy rating of 2 reflects that, like most synthetic dyes, there's a small possibility of mild irritation ( particularly for people with existing dye sensitivities).
For the vast majority of people, it's a non-issue at typical use levels.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Just so you know, the FDA ban on Red Dye No. 3 refers to CI 45430, not this ingredient. CI 45430 and CI 17200 are different chemical compounds with distinct safety and regulatory histories.
It's also worth noting that Red No. 3 (CI 45430) was already banned from cosmetics back in 1990, so the 2025 action just extended the ban to food and oral drugs. CI 17200 was never part of any of this.
Learn more about CI 17200Citric 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 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 ParfumPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Rosa Damascena Flower Water is the water-based byproduct of steam-distilling damask rose petals. It has skin conditioning, masking, and skin protecting properties.
Research shows that Rosa damascena is rich in flavonoids and phenolic compounds like gallic acid that contribute to its antioxidant activity.
In vitro studies have shown that Rosa damascena can scavenge free radicals and reduce melanin overproduction. Research has also found this extract offers some degree of UV absorption but this should not replace your sunscreen.
Learn more about Rosa Damascena Flower WaterWater. 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
