What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingParfum
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Parfum, Pentylene Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Salicylate, CI 14700
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCeresin
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventVolcanic Sand
Skin ConditioningSolanum Lycopersicum Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningDaphne Odora Callus Extract
Skin ProtectingOpuntia Ficus-Indica Callus Culture Extract
AntioxidantOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSilica
AbrasiveSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDistearyldimonium Chloride
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingCitral
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ceresin, Glycerin, Dimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Propanediol, Volcanic Sand, Solanum Lycopersicum Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Daphne Odora Callus Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Callus Culture Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Benzyl Benzoate, Silica, Sorbitan Olivate, Panthenol, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Citral, Linalool, Limonene, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.
D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.
It is also an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.
Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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