What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Sorbitol
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Talc
Abrasive
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingSucrose
Humectant
CI 47005
Cosmetic ColorantChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ulva Lactuca Extract
Skin ConditioningEnteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingPalmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingCI 45100
Cosmetic ColorantUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCharcoal Powder
Abrasive
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Zea Mays Starch, Sorbitol, Kaolin, Talc, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Titanium Dioxide, Polysorbate 20, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Sodium Citrate, Sorbitan Caprylate, Propylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, Allantoin, Citric Acid, CI 77499, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Benzoic Acid, Parfum, Mica, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Chloride, Sucrose, CI 47005, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Ulva Lactuca Extract, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Palmaria Palmata Extract, CI 45100, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Charcoal Powder, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Propylparaben
Preservative
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSpirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingPotassium Benzoate
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Betaine, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Chloride, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Methylparaben, Parfum, Propylparaben, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Rhizome/Root Extract, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Potassium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCitric 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 AcidParfum 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 ParfumPropylene 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 GlycolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
