What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Sulfate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylic Acid/Acrylamidomethyl Propane Sulfonic Acid Copolymer
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-7
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Glycol Distearate, Glycerin, Sodium Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Limonene, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylic Acid/Acrylamidomethyl Propane Sulfonic Acid Copolymer, PEG-150 Distearate, Polyquaternium-7, Citric Acid, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butane
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Propane
Parfum
Masking
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinParfum 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 a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
