What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
ChelatingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Propanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Parfum, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingC12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
ChelatingParfum
MaskingCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingIngredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Citronellol is a naturally occurring alcohol found in Rose and Geranium oils. In cosmetics, it functions purely as a fragrance ingredient.
The scent of this ingredient is described as "fresh, rosey, and citrusy".
Typical use levels are very low since the total fragrance load in a product is usually well under 1% and citronellol is only a small fraction of that.
The EU asks brands to name it on the label once it goes above 0.001% in leave-on products of 0.01% in rinse-off ones.
It is one of the EU's labeled fragrance allergens but real-world patch testing has shown it to be fairly weak and an infrequent allergen; positive reactions land around 0.1-0.9% of patients across recent European dermatitis clinic studies.
The bigger nuance is oxidation. Citronellol forms hydroperoxides when it reacts with air. These hydroperoxides are more sensitizing than the fresh ingredient, and patch test studies confirmed oxidized Citronellol causes more reactions than purified.
This means good packaging and freshness matter more than the molecule itself.
Fragrance can be irritating to very reactive or compromised skin, so people with sensitive skin may still prefer to skip it.
Learn more about CitronellolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGeraniol 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 GeraniolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool is a small, naturally occurring scent molecule found in plants like lavender, coriander, bergamot, and more.
It is one of the two most-used fragrance ingredients in cosmetics and added purely for smell. Since it's not used for a skin benefit, there's no "effective dose". Concentration depends on the fragrance load of the product.
The EU requires it to be named on the label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Fresh linalool is a weak sensitizer but air exposure turns some of it into hydroperoxides, which are strong sensitizers. Those oxidation products are the actual allergy concern.
Patch-test clinics see positive reactions to linalool hydroperoxides in about 4% to 12% of dermatitis patients depending on country and test concentration.
Resassuringly, one analytical study found hydroperoxide levels in real fragranced products to be orders of magnitude below what induced sensitization in animal studies with no evidence of oxidation building up during normal storage.
The practical takeaway is that linalool is fine for most people but worth avoiding if you have a confirmed fragrance contact allergy or a badly compromised barrier.
Products stored a long time after opening are also the high-risk scenario since that is when oxidation happens.
The scent of linalool is described as floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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