What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Persea Gratissima Oil, Hydrolyzed Silk, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phytosterols, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phytosphingosine, Sorbitan Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cholesterol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Carbomer, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearates
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingIsostearyl Isostearate
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantTripelargonin
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBetaine
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningOlus Oil
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearates, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isostearyl Isostearate, Mica, Tripelargonin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Betaine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Olus Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Salicylate, Citric Acid, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Tocopherol
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 AlcoholThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCetearyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 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.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum