What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Bromelain
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingLactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Malic Acid
Buffering
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Stearic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Panthenol, Papain, Bromelain, Maltodextrin, Glycine Soja Sterols, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Malic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Diatomaceous Earth
Abrasive
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pumice
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Shellac
EmollientAlumina
Abrasive
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 12085
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Kaolin, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diatomaceous Earth, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Pumice, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylparaben, Niacinamide, Shellac, Alumina, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Kojic Acid, CI 77891, CI 12085
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic 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
