What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantOctyldodecanol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningResveratrol Dimethyl Ether
AntioxidantQuercetin
AntioxidantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantLecithin
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantAlcohol
AntimicrobialDimethiconol
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantTriethanolamine
BufferingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Cholate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether, Quercetin, Behenyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Arachidyl Glucoside, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Mica, Lecithin, Titanium Dioxide, Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Triethanolamine, Laureth-7, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Cholate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, CI 15985, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPPG-3 Myristyl Ether
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientBHT
AntioxidantC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetrimonium Bromide
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingMica
Cosmetic ColorantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, PPG-3 Myristyl Ether, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Tocopheryl Glucoside, BHT, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetrimonium Bromide, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Mica, Polysorbate 60, Silica, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, CI 77891, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaParfum 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 ParfumPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropylene 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 GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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