What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientSodium Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Cleansing
Dimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycereth-5 Lactate
EmollientMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingPoloxamer 407
EmulsifyingWater, Alcohol Denat., Pvp, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Sodium Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Dimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycereth-5 Lactate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Poloxamer 407
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate
Cleansing
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientPolyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Cleansing
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Glycereth-5 Lactate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenylpropanol
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingPoloxamer 407
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Alcohol Denat., Pvp, Dimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glycereth-5 Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenylpropanol, Parfum, Propanediol, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Poloxamer 407, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Maltodextrin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Citronellol, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, BHT
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate is a type of silicone.
We don't have a description for Ethylhexyl Isononanoate yet.
We don't have a description for Glycereth-5 Lactate yet.
Isononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.
Learn more about Isononyl IsononanoateWe don't have a description for Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide yet.
This ingredient comes as a powder made up of small, porous, microbeads. It is used to add a silky feel to products and also helps absorb oil.
Parfum 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 ParfumWe don't have a description for Poloxamer 407 yet.
Polyhydroxystearic Acid is a soft wax made from castor oil.
It is is a texture thickener, emulsifier, and film-former. Emulsifiers prevent ingredients from separating, such as oils and waters.
Polyhydroxystearic Acid may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polyhydroxystearic AcidWe don't have a description for PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate yet.
Pvp is a water-soluble synthetic polymer and common hairstyling ingredient. It is a film-forming ingredient and used to "hold" specific shapes of hair.
In cosmetics, PVP helps products like sunscreens and color cosmetics last longer and wear more evenly.
It is less effective in high-humidity. It tends to draw moisture, but this moisture dismantles the structure and "hold".
PVP is generally well tolerated on skin and toxicity studies are negative for dermal irritation.
Learn more about PvpWe don't have a description for Sodium Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate yet.
Sodium 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
