What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingLauramide DEA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLilium Tigrinum Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingDisodium EDTA
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingWater, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Lauramide DEA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Disodium EDTA, CI 19140, CI 42090, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSpirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentSea Water
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Sulfate
Chlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Sea Water, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 42090
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCi 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineDisodium 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 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