What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycol Stearate
EmollientRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningCollagen
MoisturisingCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientLecithin
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingUrea
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingTriethanolamine
BufferingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
MaskingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingCinnamyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsoeugenol
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingHydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
MaskingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearamide Amp
Disodium EDTA
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycol Stearate, Retinyl Palmitate, Collagen, Collagen Amino Acids, Glycine Soja Oil, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Triethanolamine, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Carbomer, Parfum, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Alcohol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Isoeugenol, Citral, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Xanthan Gum, Stearamide Amp, Disodium EDTA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningC15-19 Alkane
SolventCetyl Palmitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientPolybutene
Glyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTapioca Starch
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPantolactone
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDimethicone
EmollientSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Panthenol, C15-19 Alkane, Cetyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Polybutene, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tapioca Starch, Sodium Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Pantolactone, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 ParfumTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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