What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPEG-8 Glyceryl Isostearate
EmollientPEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantLinalool
PerfumingOryza Sativa Germ Oil
EmollientAlcohol
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-8 Glyceryl Isostearate, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Linalool, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Alcohol, Tocopherol, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Betaine, Hydrolyzed Silk
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingVetiveria Zizanoides Root Extract
PerfumingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingBHT
AntioxidantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Extract, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, BHT, CI 19140, CI 42090, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
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 BHTCitric 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 BetaineDisodium 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 GlycerinLinalool 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 LinaloolParfum 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.
Water. 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