What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientSteareth-20
CleansingCocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Hibiscus Abelmoschus Flower/Seed Water
Masking
Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Medica Vulgaris Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Undecane
EmollientPolyquaternium-47
Skin ConditioningTridecane
Perfuming
Polyquaternium-37
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Water, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Steareth-20, Cocos Nucifera Water, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Flower/Seed Water, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Vulgaris Fruit Extract, Undecane, Polyquaternium-47, Tridecane, Polyquaternium-37, Glycol Distearate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Isopropyl Alcohol, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Amodimethicone
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
Masking
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningLauryl Pyrrolidone
CleansingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyamide-2
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Lauryl Pyrrolidone, Trideceth-12, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyamide-2, Benzoic Acid, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Linalool
Reviews
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%.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 ParfumSodium 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 BenzoateWater. 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
