What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlucose
HumectantParfum
MaskingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLimonene
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glucose, Parfum, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Eugenol, Linalool, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Cinnamal, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientOlive Glycerides
EmulsifyingXylitol
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlucose
HumectantSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
CleansingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentAnhydroxylitol
HumectantParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCoconut Alcohol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Olive Glycerides, Xylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glucose, Sodium Gluconate, Coco-Glucoside, Cyclodextrin, Anhydroxylitol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Coconut Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin
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 an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlucose is a simple sugar and is the most important source of energy in all organisms.
In skincare, glucose is used to hydrate the skin. It also acts as a prebiotic for our natural biome.
Glucose is hydrating due to its humectant property. As a humectant, glucose draws moisture from the air and from deeper levels in the skin.
Our skin contains many sugars that act as prebiotics and help strengthen our natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome helps protect our skin from harmful bacteria and other contaminants.
Studies show glucose may help with fading discoloration and pigmentation. This is because our skin metabolizes glucose into lactic acid. Lactic acid is an AHA that helps exfoliate the top layer of skin.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalLinalool 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.
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 GluconateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier and helps condition the skin. It is amino acid-based.
In higher amounts, it may act as a cleansing agent.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water