What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Betaine
Humectant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Pullulan
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Pantolactone
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicylic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Betaine, Benzyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Piroctone Olamine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dehydroacetic Acid, Pullulan, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Cellulose Gum, Benzoic Acid, Pantolactone, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolyimide-1
Parfum
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Pisum Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Water, Alcohol Denat., Polysorbate 20, Benzyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyimide-1, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Soluble Collagen, Dehydroacetic Acid, Pisum Sativum Sprout Extract, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Glycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Sea Salt, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Biotin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citronellol, Eugenol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 AlcoholDehydroacetic Acid is fungicide and bactericide. It is used as a preservative in cosmetics. Preservatives help elongate the shelf life of a product.
Dehydroacetic Acid is not soluble in water.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
