What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningJuglans Regia Shell Powder
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Acrylates/Palmeth-25 Acrylate Copolymer
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate
CleansingCitrus Limon Peel Powder
AbsorbentCocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Polyacrylamide
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract
Masking
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/Palmeth-25 Acrylate Copolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Citrus Limon Peel Powder, Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylamide, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, CI 77891, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Juglans Regia Shell Powder
Abrasive
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Acetate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Zea Mays Kernel Meal
Abrasive
Ceteareth-20
CleansingTriethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Honey
Humectant
Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Acetate, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Kernel Meal, Ceteareth-20, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Benzoic Acid, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Sorbic Acid, Honey, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, CI 19140, CI 42090, CI 17200, Titanium Dioxide, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
CI 17200 is a synthetic, water-soluble, reddish-pink dye. It is used purely as a cosmetic colorant.
In the US, the FDA permits this ingredient in cosmetics but it is not approved for use around the eyes while the EU allows this to be used in all cosmetic products.
The FDA requires batch-to-batch certification for this ingredient that is held to a pretty rigorous standard. That means the CI 17200 in your cosmetics has been tested and approved before it ever reaches you.
Contact allergy to cosmetic-grade dyes used at low concentrations are uncommon but has been documented before.
This ingredient also goes by the name D&C RED NO. 33.
CI 17200 has a comedogenic rating of 1 and an irritancy rating of 2 on a scale of 0-5. This is based on peer-reviewed research from the man who invented the comedogenic scale.
A 1 on the comedogenic scale is about as low as it gets without being a flat zero, and makes sense for CI 17200.
It's a water-soluble dye used at very small concentrations (typically 0.001-0.1%), so it dissolves into the water phase of a formula rather than sitting on your skin the way an oil or wax would.
The irritancy rating of 2 reflects that, like most synthetic dyes, there's a small possibility of mild irritation ( particularly for people with existing dye sensitivities).
For the vast majority of people, it's a non-issue at typical use levels.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Just so you know, the FDA ban on Red Dye No. 3 refers to CI 45430, not this ingredient. CI 45430 and CI 17200 are different chemical compounds with distinct safety and regulatory histories.
It's also worth noting that Red No. 3 (CI 45430) was already banned from cosmetics back in 1990, so the 2025 action just extended the ban to food and oral drugs. CI 17200 was never part of any of this.
Learn more about CI 17200Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Cocamidopropyl 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 GlycerinYou might know this ingredient as walnut shell powder. It is an abrasive used as a physical exfoliator.
Abrasives are physical exfoliants used to get rid of dead cell buildup on your skin. Physical exfoliators have a bad reputation due to the myth that they give your face tiny cuts. This is untrue.
Like any exfoliant, using this ingredient can disrupt your skin barrier. This can lead to breakouts, irritation, and dryness. It is critical to be gentle when using any type of exfoliator.
If you want to use a chemical exfoliator instead, check out glycolic acid.
Learn more about Juglans Regia Shell PowderParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
