What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyquaternium-39
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPEG-90m
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTriceteareth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Chlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Polyquaternium-39, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sorbitan Olivate, Allantoin, PEG-90m, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ceramide NP, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPEG-75
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSchisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Snail Secretion Filtrate, PEG-75, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chlorphenesin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinDisodium 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 ParfumSnail Secretion Filtrate is the excretion from snails. It is an effective moisturizer and promotes collagen production.
A popular nickname for this ingredient is 'Snail Mucin'.
Snail mucin has numerous skin benefits:
On top of this, Snail Secretion Filtrate contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. These include copper peptides, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E. Vitamins A and E are antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals that damage skin cells.
Being cruelty-free means a brand does not experiment on animals.
If you're worried about the well-being of the snails, we recommend looking more into the company of the product. Many brands have developed humane methods to collect snail mucin.
There is much debate on this subject. On one hand, this ingredient comes from an animal. On the other hand, many will argue the ingredient is naturally secreted (like a natural by-product) and therefore vegan. If you have reservations, you can look into Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate or Centella Asiatica Extract as alternatives.
Learn more about Snail Secretion FiltrateWater. 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