What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
EmollientPolyquaternium-80
CleansingStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingDistearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-78
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Sodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-80, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Sh-Oligopeptide-78, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Behentrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningPisum Sativum Peptide
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientStearalkonium Chloride
PreservativeHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingEDTA
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingAlpha-Methyl-Alpha-Ionone
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCitronellol
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Pisum Sativum Peptide, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Chloride, EDTA, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Parfum, Alpha-Methyl-Alpha-Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
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 AlcoholCitric 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Glycerin 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 StearateWe don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol 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 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.
We don't have a description for Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine yet.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients.
Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent alcohols. FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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