What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
PCA Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Spicata Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Tyrosine
MaskingCysteine
Antioxidant
Leucine
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Distearate
Emollient
Ipdi/PEG-15 Soyamine Copolymer Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin ConditioningTrimethylolpropane Tricaprylate/Tricaprate
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-7
Cetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone PEG-8 Succinate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
CleansingPanthenyl Ethyl Ether
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-10
Histidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Magnesium Chloride
Magnesium Nitrate
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, PCA Dimethicone, Cocamide Mipa, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Mentha Spicata Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Glycine, Tyrosine, Cysteine, Leucine, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Distearate, Ipdi/PEG-15 Soyamine Copolymer Dimer Dilinoleate, Trimethylolpropane Tricaprylate/Tricaprate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, PEG-150 Distearate, Polyquaternium-7, Cetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone PEG-8 Succinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Histidine Hcl, Disodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Nitrate, Glycerin, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-10
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicIngredients 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 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 AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 ParfumPolyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.
This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.
For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.
Learn more about Polyquaternium-10Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateWater. 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
