What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylparaben
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
MaskingPropylparaben
PreservativeXanthophylls
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Potassium Carbonate
BufferingPropylene Glycol
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingAvena Sativa Straw Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Sulfate
Glucose
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCinnamyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCI 47005
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Parfum, Propylparaben, Xanthophylls, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Carbonate, Propylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Avena Sativa Straw Extract, Tocopherol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Glucose, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, CI 47005
Cocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingKojic Acid
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlucose
HumectantChondrus Crispus
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCocamide DEA
EmulsifyingParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantBHT
Antioxidant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumParfum 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum