What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingLanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Sulfate
Decyl Oleate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Aluminum Stearates
EmollientParfum
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialWater
Skin ConditioningEthyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberGlycerin
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Eugenol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Manganese Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMethylparaben
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tourmaline
Citronellol
Perfuming
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Titanium Dioxide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Synthetic Wax, BHT, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Linalool, Geraniol, Glycolic Acid, Eugenol, Parfum, Manganese Gluconate, Methylparaben, Silica, Myristic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Limonene, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Tourmaline, Citronellol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Octyldodecanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ethylparaben, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, CI 14700, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Parfum 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
