What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
PEG-35 Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Inositol
Humectant
Calcium Pantothenate
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Alcohol Denat., PEG-35 Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Inositol, Calcium Pantothenate, Linoleic Acid, Biotin, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Citric Acid, Coumarin, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate
Potassium Acrylates Copolymer
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Polyquaternium-10
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate, Potassium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Polyquaternium-10, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium 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 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 ParfumPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
