What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-37
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Phospholipids, Polyquaternium-37, Glycine Soja Oil, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Cetrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Glycolipids, Sorbitan Oleate, Benzyl Benzoate, Citric Acid, Glycine Soja Sterols, Coumarin, Linalool, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Distearoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
Corn Starch Modified
AbsorbentCeteareth-20
CleansingParfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Nonanoate
EmollientTriticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientPvp
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Crithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Medica Limonum Peel Extract
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Distearoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Corn Starch Modified, Ceteareth-20, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Chlorphenesin, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Disodium EDTA, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Pvp, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Extract, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Peel Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Salicylate, Amyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Citric 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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 SorbateSodium 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
