What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose
EmulsifyingStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingQuaternium-91
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Cetrimonium Methosulfate
AntimicrobialCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-37
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Etidronic Acid
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Phytantriol
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Quaternium-91, Sodium Benzoate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-37, Benzyl Benzoate, Etidronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Phytantriol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dioleoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Climbazole
Antimicrobial
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingC12-13 Pareth-23
CleansingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Dioleoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Dimethicone, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Climbazole, Piroctone Olamine, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Lactic Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Glycerin, C12-13 Pareth-3, C12-13 Pareth-23, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Polysorbate 20, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Menthol, Salicylic Acid, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 ParfumPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbatePropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
