What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventTapioca Starch
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triisostearin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Nymphaea Alba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingTrisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Tapioca Starch, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Triisostearin, Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Phytate
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Ether, Alcohol Denat., Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Zea Mays Starch, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Salicylic Acid, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 ParfumSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
