What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Parfum, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate
Emulsion StabilisingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Trichilia Emetica Seed Butter
Emollient
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil
Masking
Michelia Alba Flower Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Wood Oil
Perfuming
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil
Emollient
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Styrax Tonkinensis Resin Extract
Perfuming
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingHydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Brassica Alcohol
Emollient
Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Nonanoate
EmollientEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Farnesol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate, Glycerin, Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Trichilia Emetica Seed Butter, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil, Michelia Alba Flower Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Wood Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Styrax Tonkinensis Resin Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Tocopherol, Sorbic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Brassica Alcohol, Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Farnesol, Citral, Benzyl Salicylate, Eugenol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 AcidWe don't have a description for Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride yet.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneThis ingredient is also known as Patchouli oil. Its main role is to add a warm, earthy, and musky scent to products.
Patchouli exhibits slight antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activity from its patchoulol, beta-caryophyllene, pogostone content.
Like all essential oils, this ingredient is a known sensitizer at higher concentrations. This is because this oil also contains known skin-irritating fragrances, limonene and camphor. Limonene and camphor are both known EU allergens.
While patchouli oil holds FDA GRAS ("generally recognized as safe") status, it is typically used at low levels and subject to usage guidelines.
Those with sensitive skin should patch test before using.
Learn more about Pogostemon Cablin Leaf OilSorbic Acid is a preservative that stops your product from spoiling by stopping microbes from growing.
As a preservative, it's kind of a specialist: it has a broad spectrum of activity against yeast and molds but is weaker against bacteria. That's why it's often paired with another preservative to cover that gap.
This ingredient is also pretty picky about pH; it performs best at pH 6.5 or below.
At the right pH level, sorbic acid is "active" and can slip through the outer wall of a microbe. Once inside, it turns the cell's interior more acidic to shut down the microbe from the inside.
The EU caps this ingredient at 0.6% while the CIR has concluded it's safe at concentrations up to 1%. It's most often used around 0.05-0.2% in cosmetics.
Though this ingredient is considered low-sensitizing and well-tolerated, a very small number of people may have a contact allergy to it. Be sure to patch test if you have a history of allergies towards preservatives.
Learn more about Sorbic AcidWater. 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
