What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Water, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Triethyl Citrate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Parfum, Biotin, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Ceteareth-20, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Propylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Ocimum Basilicum Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Viola Odorata Leaf Extract
MaskingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glutamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Mentha Piperita Oil, Menthol, Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Viola Odorata Leaf Extract, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetyl 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 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 GlycerinThis essential oil is steam-distilled from peppermint leaves, also known as peppermint oil. It's mainly used for scent in skincare but also provides that signature "cooling" sensation.
Peppermint oil is a "feels amazing" ingredient until it doesn't.
At higher doses or for those with sensitive skin, methol-type cooling can quickly turn into burning/irritation. It can also trigger irritant dermatitis or even allergic contact dermatitis. In a large patch-test dataset, peppermint oil had a low but positive rate for this.
In cosmetics, Cosmetic Safety Reviews (CIR) concludes that peppermint oil is safe to use when formulated to be non-sensitizing with some restrictions; for instance, pulegone, a naturally occurring component of peppermint oil, should not exceed 1%.
Since peppermint oil contains fragrance allergens such as limonene, linalool, and menthol, it can be sensitizing for those with rosacea, eczema, a broken skin barrier, or just sensitive skin in general.
In Japan, this ingredient is known as Hakka Yu.
Learn more about Mentha Piperita OilRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil is an essential oil also known as rosemary essential oil. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning agent and also acts as a natural fragrance that gives products a fresh/herby smell.
The oil is a mix of over 100 volatile compounds with 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, camphor, and verbenone usually leading the pack.
Lab studies credit this oil with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activity. Some research even show rosemary compounds calming acne-related inflammation.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be nonsensitizing.
Since this is a fragrant essential oil, the main concern is for fragrance-sensitive folks.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf OilStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
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 Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
