What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningIsobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
BleachingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Acetate
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Chloride
MaskingTrisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dibutyl Adipate, Distarch Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Acetate, Magnesium Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantOctocrylene
UV AbsorberIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentMethylpropanediol
SolventIsobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
BleachingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlucosylrutin
AntioxidantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDimethicone
EmollientIsoquercitrin
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingTrisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Octocrylene, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Distarch Phosphate, Methylpropanediol, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Tocopherol, Glucosylrutin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Isoquercitrin, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.We don't have a description for Distarch Phosphate yet.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateYou probably know this ingredient as Thiamidol. It is often called the "hydroquinone alternative".
This ingredient is patented by Beiersdorf - the owner of Nivea, Eucerin, and La Prairie.
Like hydroquinone, this ingredient helps with treating hyperpigmentation. In fact, studies show it works better than traditional hydroquinone.
Thiamidol is a potent tyrosinase inhibitor, meaning it blocks tyrosinase. Tyrosinase is the enzyme used by our bodies to create melanin.
A quick refresher: melanin gives our skin, hair, and eyes pigment or color. Skin exposed to UV will create melanin as a way to protect itself, AKA tanning.
Studies show thiamidol didn't induce the familiar side effects of hydroquinone: redness, itchiness, dryness, and worsening discoloration.
A study from Beiersdorf about the Eucerin Anti-Pigment Dual serum showed hyperpigmentation was reduced up to 75% after 12 weeks of continuous use.
Learn more about Isobutylamido Thiazolyl ResorcinolParfum 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 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.
Chances 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.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier and helps condition the skin. It is amino acid-based.
In higher amounts, it may act as a cleansing agent.
We don't have a description for Trisodium EDTA 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water