What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingPrunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Phospholipids, Retinol, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Parfum
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Maranta Arundinacea Root Extract
SmoothingCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingPrunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate
CleansingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Iron Oxides
CI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Sorbitol, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Maranta Arundinacea Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Phospholipids, Retinol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Water, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Parfum, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, CI 77742
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is known as bitter orange blossom or neroli flower extract. It is mainly used for its soft floral scent.
The flowers naturally contain plant antioxidants and soothing compounds that have shown calming, antioxidant, and mild brightening-related effects in lab studies.
It is generally considered low risk when used at the small amounts typical in cosmetics. However, it may still bother fragrance-sensitive skin because it’s a fragrant botanical.
Unlike some citrus peel oils, bitter orange flower extracts are not usually linked to sun sensitivity.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower ExtractCorallina Officinalis Extract is from the red seaweed, Corallina Officinalis. This seaweed is found all over the world but is most common in the rocky shores of Great Britain and Ireland.
Corallina Officinalis Extract contains antioxidant and emollient properties.
Extracted polysaccharides, galactose and xylose, in red algae showed antioxidant activity. Antioxidants help with anti-aging by neutralizing free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules may damage your skin cells and DNA. Galactose is also a PHA.
Corallina Officinalis is structurally similar to coral due to its high calcium content.
Learn more about Corallina Officinalis ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinThough this ingredient might sound like a juicy fruit extract, it's actually the fat pressed from the mango seed kernel (or the pit). In skincare, it behaves more like shea butter and cocoa butter than like a plant active.
The fatty acid makeup of mango seed butter makes it special; it's typically rich in stearic acid and oleic acid, with small amounts of palmitic and linoleic acid. This combo helps it melt on skin, feel creamy, and leave behind a protective "seal" that slows down water loss.
It also contains a small amount of "extras" like tocopherols (vitamin E) and phytosterols, which are often used to support skin soothing.
Due to its fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Mangifera Indica Seed ButterMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract is from the Neem tree. Neem trees originate from India.
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
The flowers of this tree are lilac colored.
Learn more about Melia Azadirachta Flower ExtractMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract is extract from the neem plant.
The leaves of this tree contain flavonoids and polyphenols. These two compounds are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial. Further research is needed as to their effects when applied on skin.
Parfum 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.
Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe since phospholipids contain fatty acid chains in the C11-24 range that the malassezia yeast likes to feed on.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Learn more about PhospholipidsPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolThis ingredient is also known as apricot extract. It has skin conditioning properties and is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted effects and reactions from a product. These metal ions may come from water and are found in miniscule amounts.
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate can also help other preservatives be more effective.
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
