What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Parfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Fruit Oil
Astringent
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Parfum, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hydroxyacetophenone, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Citric Acid, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Limon Fruit Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Limonium Gerberi Extract
Skin ProtectingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Zeolite
AbsorbentTapioca Starch
Kaolin
Abrasive
Polyquaternium-37
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Isododecane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Limonium Gerberi Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Zeolite, Tapioca Starch, Kaolin, Polyquaternium-37, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Diheptyl Succinate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer yet.
Cetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidWe don't have a description for Diheptyl Succinate yet.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideParfum 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
