What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-7
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialParfum
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
PPG-3 Myristyl Ether
EmollientBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-7, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behentrimonium Chloride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Parfum, Persea Gratissima Oil, PPG-3 Myristyl Ether, Biotin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Panthenol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningEthyltrimonium Chloride Methacrylate/Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Polyquaternium-47
Skin ConditioningSteareth-20
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
CI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Biotin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Ethyltrimonium Chloride Methacrylate/Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Copolymer, Glycerin, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Dimethicone, Polyquaternium-47, Steareth-20, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, CI 60730, CI 17200
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%.
Biotin is a B vitamin that is naturally produced by our bodies. It is also called Vitamin H.
Our bodies use biotin in the metabolism process. It also helps our bodies use enzymes and move nutrients around. A biotin deficiency can lead to brittle hair and nails.
More research is needed on applying biotin topically. However, taking biotin orally has been shown to help nourish the skin, hair, and nails. They play a role in forming skin-hydrating fatty acids.
Biotin is water-soluble. It can be found in foods such as fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and meat. Vitamin H stands for "haar" and "haut". These are the German words for hair and skin.
Learn more about BiotinCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
