What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
No benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Didecyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-37
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hedychium Coronarium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Leaf Extract
HumectantAlgae Extract
EmollientWheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Starch
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningCocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Nitrate
Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl Pg-Propyl Dimethicone
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Magnesium Chloride
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Didecyldimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-37, Panthenol, Hedychium Coronarium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Leaf Extract, Algae Extract, Wheat Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Cetrimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Magnesium Nitrate, Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl Pg-Propyl Dimethicone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Methylisothiazolinone, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Aminopropyl Triethoxysilane
SurfactantStarch Acetate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
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 an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholIsopropyl Alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. It is most commonly used as a solvent, meaning it helps other ingredients dissolve.
This ingredient is an astringent alcohol. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin as they high amounts may strip away your skin's natural oils.
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 Isopropyl AlcoholParfum 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
