What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
BufferingBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentParfum
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAmodimethicone
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingTrehalose
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Gluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether
Emulsion StabilisingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialSodium Sulfate
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Collagen Amino Acids, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Lactic Acid, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Oryza Sativa Extract, Parfum, Dipropylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Alcohol, Trehalose, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Gluconolactone, Sodium Chloride, PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer
Skin ConditioningStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingIsohexadecane
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientGlutamic Acid
HumectantCysteine Hcl
AntioxidantSerine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingHistidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Isohexadecane, Cetyl Palmitate, Glutamic Acid, Cysteine Hcl, Serine, Glycine, Histidine Hcl, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Collagen Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Parfum, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hexyl Cinnamal, CI 19140, CI 17200
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Collagen amino acids are naturally found in the outermost layer of your skin.Your body uses amino acids to build collagen and elastin.
Due to their tiny size, amino acids are able to be absorbed into the skin. They mostly play a role in keeping your skin hydrated and reinforcing your NMF (natural moisturizing factors).
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAWe don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Elastin yet.
Hydrolyzed Keratin is derived from keratin. Keratin is a large protein that is naturally found in our hair and skin.
Studies show keratin is able to seal broken hair cuticles, helping to prevent split ends and breakage.
As a humectant, hydrolyzed keratin helps draw moisture from the air to your hair and skin. This helps keep your skin and hair hydrated.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed KeratinParfum 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 ParfumChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWe don't have a description for Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine yet.
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