What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-2m
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Quaternium-80
Propylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Silica
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Panthenol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-2m, Methylparaben, Propylene Glycol, Quaternium-80, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Citronellol, Silica, Citric Acid, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Quaternium-87
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Amodimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Trideceth-5
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Trideceth-10
CleansingLinalool
Perfuming
Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride
Antimicrobial
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
Antioxidant
Acetic Acid
BufferingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Water, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Quaternium-87, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Candelilla Cera, Methylparaben, Trideceth-5, Glycerin, Trideceth-10, Linalool, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Resveratrol, Acetic Acid, CI 17200, CI 19140, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Isopropyl Alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. It is most commonly used as a solvent, meaning it helps other ingredients dissolve.
This ingredient is an astringent alcohol. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin as they high amounts may strip away your skin's natural oils.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Isopropyl AlcoholMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenParfum 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.
Propylene 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 GlycolStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
