What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningDiethylhexyl Succinate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linoleamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate Dimethicone
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Coumarin
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Polyacrylamide, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 20, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Linoleamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate Dimethicone, Laureth-7, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Coumarin, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool, CI 14700
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Amodimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyquaternium-37
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientTrideceth-5
EmulsifyingSteareth-20
CleansingCetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningTrideceth-10
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Acetic Acid
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Water, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Amodimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-37, Dimethiconol, Parfum, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Trideceth-5, Steareth-20, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Limonene, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Trideceth-10, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sorbitan Oleate, Acetic Acid, Linalool, Citronellol, Citral, Eugenol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 AcidDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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
