What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
SurfactantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentHoney
HumectantArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Maltodextrin, Honey, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Phospholipids, Biotin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Vegetable Oil, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCanola Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
SurfactantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-37
Hydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientHydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingActinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientSilk Amino Acids
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Ferrocyanide
Sodium Sulfite
PreservativeBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Canola Oil, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Parfum, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Diheptyl Succinate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Panthenol, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Polyquaternium-37, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Silk Amino Acids, Lactobacillus Ferment, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Ferrocyanide, Sodium Sulfite, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDisodium 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 EDTAPanthenol 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolThis is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.
Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.
These compounds protect your skin two ways:
1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin.
2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.
Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.
Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractWater. 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