What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPvp
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/Hydroxyesters Acrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Terpineol
Masking
Water, Pvp, Acrylates/Hydroxyesters Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Terpineol
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-11
Polyquaternium-37
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Coumarin
Perfuming
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Polyquaternium-11, Polyquaternium-37, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitol, Parfum, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Glycerin, Limonene, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sorbitan Oleate, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Benzyl Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Coumarin, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Linalool, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
