What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Xylitol
Humectant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Coco-Glucoside, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Capryloyl Glycine, Sodium Gluconate, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Anhydroxylitol, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Xylitol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
CI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
PEG-32
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Eugenol
Perfuming
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Cinnamyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGeraniol
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCitronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Isopropyl Myristate, Propanediol, CI 77007, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxycitronellal, PEG-32, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Eugenol, Salicylic Acid, Silica, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Papain, Carbomer, Geraniol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Parfum
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 AlcoholCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolParfum 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 HydroxideWater. 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
