What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Crocus Sativus Stigma Oil
Skin Conditioning
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCI 15510
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Benzophenone-3, Phospholipids, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Crocus Sativus Stigma Oil, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Niacinamide, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Parfum, Sodium Gluconate, CI 15510
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Inositol
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentSqualane
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sorbitol
Humectant
Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Betaine, Xylitol, Inulin, Inositol, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Cyclodextrin, Squalane, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sorbitol, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Gluconate, Parfum, CI 17200
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinParfum 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.
This is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateWater. 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
