What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
C12-15 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Lactate
EmollientCocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol Isostearate
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzalkonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Cetyl Lactate, Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Salicylic Acid, Menthyl Lactate, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylate, Propylene Glycol Isostearate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzalkonium Chloride, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 60725
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Lauryl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, CI 16035, CI 60725
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 ParfumPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
