What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientDi-PPG-3 Myristyl Ether Adipate
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantAvena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Sulfite
PreservativeBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Di-PPG-3 Myristyl Ether Adipate, Glycine Soja Oil, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Isopropyl Myristate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Metabisulfite, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Sulfite, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Alcohol
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingLaureth-2
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChenopodium Quinoa Seed Oil Ethyl Esters
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningPrunus Domestica Fruit Extract
MoisturisingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Parfum, Laureth-2, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Oil Ethyl Esters, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
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 most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilParfum 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.
Tetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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