What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
Buffering
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Parfum
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAmodimethicone
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Trehalose
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether
Emulsion StabilisingCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Sodium Sulfate
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Water, 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
Emollient
Quaternium-87
CleansingStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Distearoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polyquaternium-37
Sodium Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
CI 47005
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Quaternium-87, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Dimethicone, Distearoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Isopropyl Myristate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Potassium Sorbate, Polyquaternium-37, Sodium Methylparaben, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, CI 47005, CI 15985, CI 19140
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 an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeHydrolyzed 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWe 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
