What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingPropanediol
SolventAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningBertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
EmollientEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Paullinia Cupana Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingGlycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPhytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caffeine, Parfum, Propanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Paullinia Cupana Seed Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Glycerin, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Coumarin, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPaullinia Cupana Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningCocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen
CleansingHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningBertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
EmollientGardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Paullinia Cupana Seed Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Cocos Nucifera Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Mica, CI 77891, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Coumarin
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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 AlcoholBertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil from the nuts of the Bertholletia excelsa plant. It is also commonly called the Brazil Nut. This plant is native to the Amazon Rainforest.
Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil contains antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
This ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilCoumarins are a group of substances found naturally in plants. There are over 1300 types of coumarins identified. It has a natural vanilla scent.
Coumarin is an identified EU known allergy, meaning it may cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
In many countries, coumarin is banned as a food additive. However, it can be found in soaps, tobacco products, and some alcohol drinks.
Plants use coumarins as a chemical defense. Some plants that have coumarins include lavender, tonka beans, and yellow clovers.
Learn more about CoumarinDimethicone 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 DimethiconeEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid. It is a fatty acid ester.
The fatty acid content of Ethylhexyl Palmitate makes it an emollient. Emollients help soften and hydrate your skin by trapping moisture within.
Ethylhexyl Palmitate is also used to help improve the texture of cosmetics. It helps other ingredient dissolve in products and help disperse ingredients more evenly.
You'll likely find this ingredient in sunscreen, as it is often used to mix UV-blocking ingredients such as avobenzone and ethylhexyl triazone.
It can also help stabilize the fragrances in a product as a fragrance fixative.
Ethylhexyl Palmitate can be used to substitute mineral oil.
Due to its high fatty acid content, it may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateEthylhexylglycerin 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 ParfumWe don't have a description for Paullinia Cupana Seed Extract yet.
Phenoxyethanol 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