What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propane
Butane
Isobutane
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyurethane-14
Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Triticum Vulgare Protein
BufferingAmp-Acrylates Copolymer
Squalane
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Alcohol Denat., Propane, Butane, Isobutane, Water, Polyurethane-14, Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Triticum Vulgare Protein, Amp-Acrylates Copolymer, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Diisopropyl Adipate, Caprylyl Glycol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzoic Acid, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butane
Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientOctylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Undecane
EmollientPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Disiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Tridecane
Perfuming
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialParfum
Masking
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingAvena Sativa Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Geranyl Acetate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Pinene
Masking
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Trimethylbenzenepropanol
Masking
3-Methyl-5-(2,2,3-Trimethyl-3-Cyclopentenyl)Pent-4-En-2-Ol
Perfuming
Vanillin
Masking
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a, Alcohol Denat., Butane, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Undecane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Disiloxane, Tridecane, Water, Panthenol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Parfum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Avena Sativa Peptide, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Geraniol, Geranyl Acetate, Limonene, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Pinene, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Trimethylbenzenepropanol, 3-Methyl-5-(2,2,3-Trimethyl-3-Cyclopentenyl)Pent-4-En-2-Ol, Vanillin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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.Aminomethyl Propanol is used to adjust the pH of products. It is also used as a base to create other organic compounds. Having a balanced pH is important for protecting your skin.
Aminomethyl propanol is safe to use in cosmetics up to 1%. It is soluble in water.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateButane is a gas derived from petroleum and natural gas. It is used as an aerosol propellant.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolWe don't have a description for Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer yet.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
