What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Myristyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum, Cetrimonium Chloride, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Panthenol, Lauryl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Parfum
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
PEG-14 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningDi-C12-13 Alkyl Malate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Parfum, Lactic Acid, PEG-14 Dimethicone, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate, Tocopherol, Tartaric Acid, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide AP
Reviews
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.This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Linalool 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 LinaloolMyristyl Alcohol is type of fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
As an emollient, myristyl alcohol hydrates the skin by trapping moisture in.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent alcohols.
The FDA allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Myristyl AlcoholParfum 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 ParfumPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
