What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSilicone Quaternium-8
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientTrideceth-10
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLinalool
PerfumingEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentLimonene
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingHoney
HumectantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingUrtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitronellol
PerfumingAlcohol
AntimicrobialHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialLawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract
MaskingWater, Polysorbate 20, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Silicone Quaternium-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Trideceth-10, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Linalool, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Salicylate, Citric Acid, Honey, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Citronellol, Alcohol, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Lawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyurethane-14
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingAmp-Acrylates Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantBiotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningApigenin
AntioxidantUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentAlcohol
AntimicrobialAesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHelichrysum Italicum Extract
AntiseborrhoeicNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Fruit Extract
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningTriethyl Citrate
MaskingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingIsoeugenol
PerfumingWater, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Polyurethane-14, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Amp-Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Oleanolic Acid, Apigenin, Urtica Dioica Extract, Alcohol, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Caprylyl Glycol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Triethyl Citrate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Hexylene Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Isoeugenol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
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.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHexylene 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 GlycolHydroxycitronellal is a fragrance created from citronellal. The smell of hydroxycitronellal is often described as "citrus-like" or "melon-like".
Hydroxycitronellal is a known EU allergen and may cause irritation when applied to the skin.
Linalool 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 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.
Water. 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