What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Methoxy PEG-16 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer
Silicone Quaternium-8
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingRapeseedamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantQuaternium-96
CleansingGeranium Maculatum Extract
TonicPolyacrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Propanediol
Solvent
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Methoxy PEG-16 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer, Silicone Quaternium-8, Benzophenone-4, Potassium Sorbate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Rapeseedamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate, Dipropylene Glycol, Quaternium-96, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Polyacrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Propanediol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Vinegar
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-7
Glycerin
Humectant
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamide Mipa, Parfum, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Vinegar, PEG-150 Distearate, Polyquaternium-7, Glycerin, Benzophenone-4, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, Citronellol, CI 14700, CI 19140, CI 61570
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzophenone-4 (aka Sulisobenzone) is a water-soluble UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB rays with some UVA coverage.
It has two jobs in a formula:
That's why you'll spot it in a variety of products from sunscreens to clear-packaged serums where it protects dyes, fragrances, and other actives from degrading.
As a UV filter, it is fairly weak on its own. This is why it's almost always paired with stronger UV filters to build up SPF.
On the regulatory side, this ingredient is well-studied and broadly considered safe as used.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety reviewed it (and the endocrine-disruption questions that had been raised) and concluded it's safe as a UV filter up to 5%.
The US and Canada allow up to 10% and the CIR Expert Panel has found benzophenones safe at cosmetic-use levels with low skin penetration.
The only thing worth flagging for is contact allergy:
Benzophenone-4 stands out among UV filters as a frequent trigger or allergic and photoallergic contact dermatitis. A 2007 study in Contact Dermatitis even called it an "emerging allergen" so a small subset of people may get redness or irritation from it.
Learn more about Benzophenone-4Glycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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
