What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientArginine
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeLecithin
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialStearic Acid
CleansingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantLinalool
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientGeraniol
PerfumingVegetable Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningHydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Arginine, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Chlorphenesin, Stearic Acid, Allantoin, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Geraniol, Vegetable Amino Acids, Proline, Hydroxyproline
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingMethylparaben
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingAlcohol
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Nitrate
SoothingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlyoxal
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Adenosine, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Nitrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glyoxal, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneParfum 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 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.
Water. 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