What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Camelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Sodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Parfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-4
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sucrose
Humectant
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Esters, Sodium Bicarbonate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Parfum, Polyquaternium-4, Pectin, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sucrose, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientBis-(Isostearoyl/Oleoyl Isopropyl) Dimonium Methosulfate
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningAleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil
Masking
Michelia Alba Leaf Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Styrax Tonkinensis Resin Extract
Perfuming
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Michelia Alba Flower Oil
Masking
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Tilia Cordata Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Diheptyl Succinate, Bis-(Isostearoyl/Oleoyl Isopropyl) Dimonium Methosulfate, Coco-Caprylate, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil, Michelia Alba Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Styrax Tonkinensis Resin Extract, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Michelia Alba Flower Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral
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 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene 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 LinaloolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
