What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingC12-15 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-23, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, C12-15 Pareth-3, Citric Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningPlumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride
Polyquaternium-7
Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Extract
AntimicrobialArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Dimethicone, Squalane, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil, Panthenol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Ethyl Linoleate, Butylene Glycol, Ethyl Oleate, Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-7, Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hedera Helix Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
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 AcidDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinParfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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
