What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Honey
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Acetate
BufferingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-37
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Cellulose
Absorbent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Honey, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Acetate, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-37, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Isopropyl Alcohol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol, CI 15985, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Olus Oil
Emollient
Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil
Emollient
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Cholecalciferol
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSilk Amino Acids
HumectantHoney
Humectant
Stearalkonium Chloride
Preservative
Glyceryl Dilaurate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Olus Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Cholecalciferol, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Panthenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Silk Amino Acids, Honey, Stearalkonium Chloride, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Parfum, 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.
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 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 GlycerinHoney comes from bees. It is mainly made up of the sugars fructose and glucose.
Besides sugar, honey also contains amino acids, peptides, Vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamins A, C, and E.
As a humectant, honey is great at hydrating the skin. Humectants draw moisture from the air and hold it to your skin.
Honey also has antioxidant and antioxidant properties. Fun fact: darker honey has more antioxidants than light honey.
The antibacterial property of honey may make it effective at helping to treat acne. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Many people wonder if honey is vegan. It is technically a byproduct from bees. This is because honey is created from the digestive enzymes in a bee's stomach.
Remember to be kind to bees :) They are important for many ecosystems and are endangered.
Learn more about HoneyParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
