What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantMenthol
MaskingBetaine
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicGlycine
BufferingGlutamic Acid
HumectantGlutamine
Skin ConditioningLysine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningMethionine
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingSerine
MaskingCysteine
AntioxidantAsparagine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingOrnithine
Skin ConditioningCarnitine
CleansingTyrosine
MaskingThreonine
Tryptophan
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningMentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract
TonicCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialThymus Vulgaris Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingDenatonium Benzoate
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingCinnamal
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Alcohol Denat., Parfum, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Caffeine, Polysorbate 80, Glycerin, Menthol, Betaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Biotin, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Lysine, Leucine, Methionine, Valine, Serine, Cysteine, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Isoleucine, Alanine, Arginine, Ornithine, Carnitine, Tyrosine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Proline, Histidine, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Dextrin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Mentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Denatonium Benzoate, Linalool, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Cinnamal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Eugenol, Geraniol, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMenthol
MaskingHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSwertia Japonica Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Flavescens Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Extract
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningAlternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolMenthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.
Menthol is known for its cooling sensation; however, the cooling is actually from your skin being sensitized. Menthol can worsen rosacea. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Menthol also has antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about MentholParfum 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