What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingFurcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Incarnata Seed Oil
Skin ProtectingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSalvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
PerfumingPolyurethane-14
Sodium Laneth-40 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer
Amp-Acrylates Copolymer
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialSodium Chloride
MaskingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
BufferingCaprylic Acid
CleansingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingXylitol
HumectantSorbic Acid
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCitral
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Decyl Glucoside, Cocos Nucifera Water, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder, Panthenol, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Polyurethane-14, Sodium Laneth-40 Maleate/Styrene Sulfonate Copolymer, Amp-Acrylates Copolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Caprylic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Xylitol, Sorbic Acid, Parfum, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citral, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-11
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingC12-18 Acid Triglyceride
EmollientCocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingSodium Glycolate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingWater, Polyquaternium-11, Pvp, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Glycerin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Biotin, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Sodium Chloride, C12-18 Acid Triglyceride, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Sodium Glycolate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Amyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Citronellol, Limonene, Coumarin, Geraniol
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 AlcoholBenzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
As a preservative, Benzyl Benzoate works against bacteria and fungus. It is often used to treat scabies and lice in medicine.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Due to its fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate can be sensitizing and may cause contact dermatitis. It is a known EU allergen. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Benzyl Benzoate can be naturally found in cranberries and peaches.
Learn more about Benzyl BenzoateCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineCoumarins are a group of substances found naturally in plants. There are over 1300 types of coumarins identified. It has a natural vanilla scent.
Coumarin is an identified EU known allergy, meaning it may cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
In many countries, coumarin is banned as a food additive. However, it can be found in soaps, tobacco products, and some alcohol drinks.
Plants use coumarins as a chemical defense. Some plants that have coumarins include lavender, tonka beans, and yellow clovers.
Learn more about CoumarinEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGeraniol 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 LinaloolParfum 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 ParfumChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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