What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Myristate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Panthenol, Allantoin, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum
Ethylhexyl Stearate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citral, Benzyl Salicylate, Water
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexyl Stearate is an ester of 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and stearic acid. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and texture enhancer.
As an emulsifier, it helps prevent ingredients from separating.
Its emollient property helps soften and hydrate the skin. Emollients form a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl StearateGlycerin 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 StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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.
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil comes from the sweet almond, a tree native to Iran. This oil has no fragrance and is non-volatile.
Almonds contain healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It is a rich source of Vitamin E, a great antioxidant and skin conditioning ingredient. Sweet almond oil contains fatty acids such as linolenic acid and triglycerides.
The content of sweet almond oil makes it a great emollient; it can help soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a barrier over your skin to trap moisture in. Sweet almond oil has antioxidant properties.
Those with an almond allergy should be careful of this ingredient and speak with a professional about using it in your skincare.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilSodium 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water