What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Triticum Vulgare Protein
BufferingHydroxypropylgluconamide
HumectantHydroxypropylammonium Gluconate
HumectantHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Nonanoate
EmollientLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyquaternium-10
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Parfum, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Triticum Vulgare Protein, Hydroxypropylgluconamide, Hydroxypropylammonium Gluconate, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Arginine, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Linoleic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyquaternium-10, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isodecyl Oleate
Emollient
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Dioctyldodecyl Dodecanedioate
EmollientSodium Phytate
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Linoleamidopropyl Dimethylamine Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin ConditioningC10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Ricinoleate
Emollient
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingPEG-75 Stearate
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGluconic Acid
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Isodecyl Oleate, Isopentyldiol, Dioctyldodecyl Dodecanedioate, Sodium Phytate, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Jojoba Esters, Linoleamidopropyl Dimethylamine Dimer Dilinoleate, C10-18 Triglycerides, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Cyclodextrin, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, PEG-75 Stearate, Polyglycerin-3, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Parfum, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Gluconic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Benzoate, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Citral, Limonene
Alternatives
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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseParfum 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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
