What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPolyquaternium-7
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride
Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Hedera Helix Extract
AntimicrobialArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract
Cosmetic ColorantSqualane
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Parfum, Decyl Glucoside, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil, Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Polyquaternium-7, Panthenol, PEG-150 Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride, Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Seed Extract, Hedera Helix Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Ethyl Linoleate, Ethyl Oleate, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract, Squalane, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Steareth-6
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acetic Acid
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Trideceth-10
CleansingTrideceth-3
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Xylose
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Fumaric Acid
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Amodimethicone
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, Hexylene Glycol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cocamide Mea, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxycitronellal, Steareth-6, Phenoxyethanol, Acetic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Trideceth-10, Trideceth-3, Salicylic Acid, Xylose, Dimethicone, Limonene, Fumaric Acid, Linalool, Amodimethicone, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Hexyl Cinnamal, Glycolic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 AcidCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineParfum 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
