What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCalcium Chloride
AstringentButylene Glycol
HumectantCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventCitrus Grandis Seed Extract
AstringentBambusa Textilis Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasivePEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingCitronellol
PerfumingRuby Powder
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Calcium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Xanthan Gum, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Ethyl Hexanediol, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Titanium Dioxide, CI 75470, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Citronellol, Ruby Powder
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCalcium Chloride
AstringentCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasiveAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Tin Oxide
AbrasiveCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMalt Extract
Skin ProtectingLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
PerfumingBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
EmollientPrunella Vulgaris Extract
AntioxidantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantParfum
MaskingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantGold
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Calcium Chloride, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Allantoin, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, CI 77891, CI 77491, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Malt Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Beta-Glucan, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Prunella Vulgaris Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Parfum, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Gold
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCalcium chloride is a white, odorless, crystalline solid. It is an astringent and can be used to change the viscosity of products.
This ingredient is highly soluble in water, acetic acid, and ethanol.
There are many forms of this ingredient, including monohydrate, dihydrate, tetrahydrate, and hexahydrate.
Learn more about Calcium ChlorideCeratonia Siliqua Gum is extracted from the seeds of the carob tree. You might know this ingredient as Carob Gum or Locust Bean Gum. It is used to stabilize other ingredients and improve the texture of products.
Carob gum is made up of long-chain polysaccharides. This makes it a natural thickener.
Yes! This ingredient comes from the seeds of a tree. The name 'Locust Bean Gum' can be misleading.
Learn more about Ceratonia Siliqua GumChondrus Crispus Powder is an exfoliant.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseParfum 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 ParfumPeg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
As a solubilizer, it helps dissolve ingredients into a water-based version. It is also an emulsifer. Emulsifier help prevent oils and water from separating. Both these properties help create evenly-spread and uniform products.
Basically, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps hold ingredients together.
Learn more about PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilSynthetic Fluorphlogopite is the synthethic version of mica. It consists of fluorine, aluminum and silicate.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is used to add volume to products.
It is considered non-irritating on the skin.
Learn more about Synthetic FluorphlogopiteWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum