What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Amodimethicone
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
Antimicrobial
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Limonene
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Amodimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Sorbitol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Trideceth-6, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Arginine, Citric Acid, Cetrimonium Chloride, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Limonene, Coumarin, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningAlmond Milk
Coconut Milk
Oat Milk
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Parfum
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCitrus Limon Peel
MaskingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract
MaskingVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Anise Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Cinnamate
Perfuming
Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Oat Milk, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Parfum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethyl Macadamiate, C13-15 Alkane, Citrus Limon Peel, Propylene Glycol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Dipteryx Odorata Seed Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Cetrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Anise Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Cinnamal, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
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 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.
Coumarins are a group of substances found naturally in plants. There are over 1300 types of coumarins identified. It has a natural vanilla scent.
Coumarin is an identified EU known allergy, meaning it may cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
In many countries, coumarin is banned as a food additive. However, it can be found in soaps, tobacco products, and some alcohol drinks.
Plants use coumarins as a chemical defense. Some plants that have coumarins include lavender, tonka beans, and yellow clovers.
Learn more about CoumarinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool 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.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
