What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Amodimethicone
Polyquaternium-37
PPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientAcetamide Mea
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Lactamide Mea
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Xylose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Camelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningIsoeugenol
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMelanin
Skin ProtectingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Amodimethicone, Polyquaternium-37, PPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Acetamide Mea, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Lactamide Mea, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Trideceth-6, Behentrimonium Chloride, Xylose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Linalool, Dimethiconol, Benzophenone-4, Isopropyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Tocopherol, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Citronellol, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Isoeugenol, BHT, Sodium Chloride, Melanin, Potassium Sorbate, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid
Ingredients 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 AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinParfum 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
