What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientAmodimethicone
Isopropyl Myristate
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-4
Polyquaternium-6
Potato Starch Modified
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantXylose
HumectantTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBenzophenone-4
UV AbsorberQuaternium-87
CleansingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
SurfactantCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialQuaternium-33
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingWater, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Amodimethicone, Isopropyl Myristate, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone, Carbomer, Polyquaternium-4, Polyquaternium-6, Potato Starch Modified, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xylose, Trideceth-6, Cetyl Alcohol, Benzophenone-4, Quaternium-87, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Quaternium-33, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialVa/Crotonates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Copolymer
Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Crotonic Acid/Vinyl C8-12 Isoalkyl Esters/Va/Bis-Vinyldimethicone Crosspolymer
Cera Alba
EmollientAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate
EmulsifyingXylose
HumectantHydrogenated Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingBenzophenone-4
UV AbsorberBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingMek
PerfumingDisodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingVaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Alcohol Denat., Va/Crotonates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Copolymer, Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Crotonic Acid/Vinyl C8-12 Isoalkyl Esters/Va/Bis-Vinyldimethicone Crosspolymer, Cera Alba, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, PEG-30 Glyceryl Stearate, Xylose, Hydrogenated Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzophenone-4, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Mek, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol yet.
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-4Benzyl 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 AlcoholCitronellol 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 CitronellolParfum 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolVaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil is created from the seeds of the North American cranberry plant. This plant is native to eastern Canada.
Cranberry seed oil has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hydrating properties.
Due to its high linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and oleic acid content, cranberry seed oil is an effective emollient. Emollients help hydrate the skin by creating a film on the skin. This barrier prevents moisture from escaping. Linolenic acid also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Cranberry seeds also contain Vitamin E and Vitamin C, both potent antioxidants.
Learn more about Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed OilWater. 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 WaterWe don't have a description for Xylose yet.