What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
No benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Limonene
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Parfum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzophenone-3, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxycitronellal, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, BHT, Linalool, Citric Acid
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
BHT
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingCitral
Perfuming
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic Colorant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You probably know this ingredient as Oxybenzone, a sunscreen ingredient. It is a broad-spectrum sunscreen ingredient, meaning it can protect the skin against UVB and short UVA rays. The absorption range is 270-350 nm with peak absorption at 288 and 350 nm.
This chemical ingredient protects your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy. UV absorbers may absorb both UVA and UVB rays. It is often combined with other sunscreen ingredients to help with stability.
Ongoing research is looking into whether oxybenzone causes skin irritation and sensitivity. However, it has been shown to trigger contact dermatitis in some studies.
Oxybenzone is allowed in certain concentrations by many countries. It is allowed up to 6% in the US, and Canada, 5% in Japan, and 10% in Australia. Other countries and regions of the US have banned this ingredient to protect coral reefs and marine ecosystems. These places include Hawaii, Key West, US Virgin Islands, marine parks in Thailand, Aruba, and Palau.
The EU currently allows the following maximum concentrations:
Studies show conflicting results about oxybenzone being absorbed into the human body. The Swedish Research Institute has advised careful use of this ingredient by pregnant women and children. We always recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns about this ingredient and your health.
Learn more about Benzophenone-3BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTCitric 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 AcidHydroxycitronellal 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.
Limonene 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 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
