What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Hydrofluorocarbon 152a
Butyl Ester Of Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Ethyl Ester Of Pvm/Ma Copolymer
N-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
PPG-1-Ceteth-5
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Alcohol Denat., Hydrofluorocarbon 152a, Butyl Ester Of Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Ethyl Ester Of Pvm/Ma Copolymer, N-Butyl Alcohol, Aminomethyl Propanol, PEG/PPG-17/18 Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Parfum, Phenyl Trimethicone, Panthenol, PPG-1-Ceteth-5, Limonene, Water, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Linalool, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientDistearyldimonium Chloride
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningPereskia Aculeata Callus Extract
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Alanine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Histidine
Humectant
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Threonine
Valine
MaskingTrehalose
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningMomordica Cochinchinensis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Vaccinium Myrtillus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingPhytic Acid
Chelating
Galactoarabinan
Gluconolactone
Chelating
Glycerin
Humectant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantCaprylic Acid
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingLactic Acid
Buffering
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-37
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Polyquaternium-7
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-73
Quaternium-91
Sodium Lignosulfonate
SurfactantSodium Phosphate
BufferingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Bis-Hydroxyethyldimonium Chloride
HumectantXylitol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Pereskia Aculeata Callus Extract, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Alanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Trehalose, PCA, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Momordica Cochinchinensis Seed Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Seed Oil, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Phytic Acid, Galactoarabinan, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Calcium Gluconate, Caprylic Acid, Citric Acid, Ethyl Linoleate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Lactic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Myristyl Myristate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ethyl Oleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyquaternium-37, Sodium Lactate, Polyquaternium-7, Glycolic Acid, Polyquaternium-73, Quaternium-91, Sodium Lignosulfonate, Sodium Phosphate, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopherol, Hydroxypropyl Bis-Hydroxyethyldimonium Chloride, Xylitol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is the compound that gives citrus peel its smell.
In skincare, it shows up as a standalone fragrance ingredient or as a natural compound of citrus and other essential oils.
You'll typically see this ingredient used in very small amounts; anything above 0.001% in a leave-on product or 0.01% in a rinse-off has to be named on the label in the EU. The citrus oils that carry it sit around 0.5-1% in a finished formula.
Fresh limonene is a weak allergen; the real issue is that it slowly reacts with air and then breaks down from oxidation to create hydroperoxides (which are strong sensitizers). This is why suppliers are required to keep the peroxide value below 20 mmol.
Positive reactions in people being investigated for eczema vary:
It's worth skipping if you have a known fragrance allergy or a compromised barrier, but the risk is low for most people.
Older or long-opened products are also more likely to bother you than fresh ones due to oxidation.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a small, naturally occurring scent molecule found in plants like lavender, coriander, bergamot, and more.
It is one of the two most-used fragrance ingredients in cosmetics and added purely for smell. Since it's not used for a skin benefit, there's no "effective dose". Concentration depends on the fragrance load of the product.
The EU requires it to be named on the label above 0.001% in leave-on and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
Fresh linalool is a weak sensitizer but air exposure turns some of it into hydroperoxides, which are strong sensitizers. Those oxidation products are the actual allergy concern.
Patch-test clinics see positive reactions to linalool hydroperoxides in about 4% to 12% of dermatitis patients depending on country and test concentration.
Resassuringly, one analytical study found hydroperoxide levels in real fragranced products to be orders of magnitude below what induced sensitization in animal studies with no evidence of oxidation building up during normal storage.
The practical takeaway is that linalool is fine for most people but worth avoiding if you have a confirmed fragrance contact allergy or a badly compromised barrier.
Products stored a long time after opening are also the high-risk scenario since that is when oxidation happens.
The scent of linalool is described as floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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
