What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientGlycol Stearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingParfum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantStearamide Amp
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientOrchis Mascula Flower Extract
SoothingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantOctyldodecanol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitan Palmitate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientImperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Benzoate
MaskingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingSorbic Acid
PreservativeHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLimonene
PerfumingAcetyl Tetrapeptide-15
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Palmitate, Dimethicone, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Cyclohexasiloxane, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Coco-Glucoside, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Citric Acid, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Sorbic Acid, Hexyl Cinnamal, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Limonene, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-15, Biotin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
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 DimethiconeGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum 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 ParfumTriethanolamine is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water