What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
Butane
Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch
AbsorbentAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentIsobutane
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentMagnesium Carbonate
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Zeolite
AbsorbentGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSorbic Acid
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHydrofluorocarbon 152a, Butane, Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch, Alcohol Denat., Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isobutane, Panthenol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Oryza Sativa Extract, Magnesium Carbonate, Water, Acrylates Copolymer, Zeolite, Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Parfum, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
Dimethyl Ether
SolventAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialDimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch
AbsorbentDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventWater
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentCoco-Glucoside
CleansingSarcosine
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningEpilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningQuercus Suber Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingJuniperus Virginiana Oil
MaskingHexamethylindanopyran
MaskingGeraniol
PerfumingTetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingLinalyl Acetate
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingTerpineol
MaskingHydrofluorocarbon 152a, Dimethyl Ether, Alcohol Denat., Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch, Distarch Phosphate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Water, Capryloyl Glycine, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Coco-Glucoside, Sarcosine, Dipropylene Glycol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Quercus Suber Bark Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Hexamethylindanopyran, Geraniol, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Terpineol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 AcidWe don't have a description for Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch yet.
Geraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Hydrofluorocarbon 152a yet.
Linalool 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 SorbateWater. 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