What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-8 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Betaine
Humectant
Honey
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-8 Diisostearate, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Isostearic Acid, Parfum, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Caramel, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Limonene, Betaine, Honey, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Royal Jelly Extract, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Cellulose
Absorbent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLimonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Cellulose, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Parfum, Betaine, Potassium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Sodium Metaphosphate, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, CI 77492
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about 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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneParfum 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
