What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Steareth-20
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Ceteth-3 Acetate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningEthylparaben
Preservative
PEG-90m
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Steareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pvp, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol Ceteth-3 Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Parfum, Methylparaben, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Ethylparaben, PEG-90m, Disodium EDTA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Geraniol, Coumarin, CI 42090, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate-2 Crosspolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-6
HumectantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantWater, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Polyacrylate-2 Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-6, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Parfum, Methylparaben, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, CI 19140, CI 42090, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
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 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 AlcoholBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateCi 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolHexyl 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 CinnamalLimonene 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 LinaloolMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenParfum 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
