What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCellulose
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingAmethyst Powder
Abrasive
Pearl Powder
Tourmaline
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Cellulose
Absorbent
Arginine
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butoxyethanol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
CI 45190
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, PEG-8, Glycerin, Alcohol, Cellulose, Arginine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, CI 45190, CI 42090
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerCellulose is the main component of plant cell walls. It is used as an emulsifier, absorbent, and texture enhancer.
This ingredient has many functions:
Fun fact: Cellulose is the most abundant form of organic polymer on Earth.
Learn more about CelluloseGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol 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
