What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Adansonia Digitata Oil
Emollient
Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Caprylic Acid
CleansingXylitol
Humectant
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Triisodecyl Trimellitate
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingPolyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate
Emollient
Pouteria Sapota Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Lignosulfonate
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Polyquaternium-37
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Picea Mariana Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Solanum Lycopersicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Brassica Napus Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Rosinate
Perfuming
Garcinia Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter
Emollient
Balanites Roxburghii Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Meadowfoamamidopropyl Betaine
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-7
Polyquaternium-10
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCoconut Acid
Cleansing
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Acrylates Copolymer
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Isoamyl Laurate, Adansonia Digitata Oil, Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Caprylic Acid, Xylitol, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Triisodecyl Trimellitate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Pouteria Sapota Seed Oil, Sodium Lignosulfonate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Polyquaternium-37, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycolic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Picea Mariana Bark Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Seed Oil, Ethyl Linoleate, Ethyl Oleate, Trehalose, Lactic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Brassica Napus Extract, Butylene Glycol, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glyceryl Rosinate, Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter, Balanites Roxburghii Seed Oil, Meadowfoamamidopropyl Betaine, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Isethionate, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycol Distearate, Hydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Chloride, Coconut Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates Copolymer, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Hydroxycitronellal
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyquaternium-10
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 ParfumPolyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.
This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.
For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.
Learn more about Polyquaternium-10Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
