What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativePPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantQuaternium-98
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningSilk Amino Acids
HumectantHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantKeratin Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningCellulose
AbsorbentHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingDimethicone
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientLinoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate Dimethicone
Polyquaternium-37
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningQuaternium-80
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientAcrylates Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Sodium PCA
HumectantParfum
MaskingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
Polyacrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
Cetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Acetate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycerin, Quaternium-98, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Silk Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Keratin Amino Acids, Cellulose, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate Dimethicone, Polyquaternium-37, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Quaternium-80, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium PCA, Parfum, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyacrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dehydroacetic Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Oleate, Benzyl Alcohol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Acetate, Sodium Benzoate, CI 17200, CI 19140, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientOleyl Alcohol
EmollientDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingBenzophenone-9
UV AbsorberHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientDi-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Glycol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRaspberry Ketone
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantOctyldodeceth-20
CleansingOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCinnamyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Oleyl Alcohol, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Benzophenone-9, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Di-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Raspberry Ketone, Glycerin, Octyldodeceth-20, Octyldodeceth-16, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCetearyl 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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 ParfumJojoba 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.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWe don't have a description for Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine yet.
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