What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantOctyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAlaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingPEG-8
HumectantPropylene Glycol Stearate
Skin ConditioningKluyveromyces/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Saccharomyces Milk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol Laurate
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientLauryl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingLecithin
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodecanol
EmollientCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Lactic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, PEG-8, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Kluyveromyces/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Saccharomyces Milk Ferment Filtrate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Myristyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Polysorbate 20, Behenyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Octyldodecanol, Ceramide Ng, Sorbitan Laurate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Mica, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycol Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantMorus Alba Root Extract
BleachingArctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSafflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin ConditioningKojic Acid
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycogen
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingPPG-5-Laureth-5
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-11
Parfum
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Glycerin, Morus Alba Root Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Kojic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ceteareth-20, Polysorbate 60, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Phenoxyethanol, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycogen, Caprylyl Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Bisabolol, Citric Acid, PPG-5-Laureth-5, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-11, 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 GlycolThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl 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 AlcoholDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is a fatty acid ester.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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