What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlutamic Acid
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
MaskingHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPanthenyl Ethyl Ether
Histidine
HumectantBis-Hydroxy/Methoxy Amodimethicone
Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone
Oleic Acid
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeWater, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Histidine, Bis-Hydroxy/Methoxy Amodimethicone, Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Oleic Acid, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBrassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantBrassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningDisodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningBis-PCA Dimethicone
Citric Acid
BufferingPolyquaternium-37
Butylene Glycol
HumectantCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingWater, Cetyl Alcohol, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Propanediol, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Bis-PCA Dimethicone, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-37, Butylene Glycol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal
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 AlcoholCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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