What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlyceryl Oleate
Emollient
C12-13 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Glycine
Buffering
Sodium Ferrocyanide
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Glyceryl Oleate, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Butylene Glycol, Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Glycine, Sodium Ferrocyanide, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Undecane
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Tridecane
Perfuming
Maclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Prenylflavonoids
Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Fructose
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Undecane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Tridecane, Maclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Prenylflavonoids, Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Inulin, Tocopherol, Parfum, Fructose, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl 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 SalicylateCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexyl 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 CinnamalLinalool 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 LinaloolNelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract comes from the Lotus Flower. It is rich in antioxidants.
The antioxidant properties in lotus flower come from compounds such as flavonoids.
In traditional Asian medicine, Lotus flower seeds were used to help treat inflammation.
Learn more about Nelumbo Nucifera Flower ExtractParfum 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 ParfumTocopherol 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 WaterWe don't have a description for Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract yet.
