What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Stearalkonium Chloride
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Water, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-40 Castor Oil, Stearalkonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Urtica Dioica Extract
AstringentCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Keratin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Ceteareth-20
CleansingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Myroxylon Pereirae Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil
Astringent
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Jasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Cinnamate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearyl Alcohol, Gluconolactone, Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Keratin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Menthyl Lactate, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Alcohol, Myroxylon Pereirae Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Citronellol, Geraniol, 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.
Benzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
Learn more about Benzyl BenzoateCetearyl 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 AlcoholGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWater. 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
