What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Trisiloxane
Skin ConditioningNylon-12
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantPolyacrylamide
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingHydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBHT
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
HumectantLaureth-7
EmulsifyingRetinol
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantProline
Skin ConditioningHinokitiol
Parfum
MaskingWater, Dimethicone, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Trisiloxane, Nylon-12, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Mica, Caprylyl Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Polyacrylamide, Xanthan Gum, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lactate, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Sodium PCA, Laureth-7, Retinol, Sorbitol, Proline, Hinokitiol, Parfum
Hydroquinone 2%
StabilisingEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBetaine
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMethylparaben
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
BufferingPropylparaben
PreservativeEthylparaben
PreservativePEG-16 Soy Sterol
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingHydroquinone 2%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, PEG-16 Soy Sterol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Glycine Soja Protein
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 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