What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAmodimethicone
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Behentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeDipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
CleansingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialPotassium Dimethicone PEG-7 Panthenyl Phosphate
Skin ConditioningSodium Sarcosinate
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantPropylene Glycol
HumectantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
EmollientLimonene
PerfumingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningCereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeTetrasodium EDTA
Tocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Amodimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Trideceth-6, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Cetrimonium Chloride, Potassium Dimethicone PEG-7 Panthenyl Phosphate, Sodium Sarcosinate, Caramel, Propylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Coumarin, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Arginine, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hexyl Cinnamal, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Limonene, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract, Glucose, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativePersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Esters
EmollientParfum
MaskingSodium Bicarbonate
AbrasiveIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventPolyquaternium-4
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingSucrose
HumectantLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingMel Extract
MoisturisingGeraniol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Esters, Parfum, Sodium Bicarbonate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-4, Pectin, Sucrose, Linalool, Citronellol, Mel Extract, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid
Reviews
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 a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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