What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientSqualane
EmollientGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Squalane, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Phenoxyethanol, CI 42090, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPolyethylene
AbrasivePEG-20 Stearate
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Copper Sulfate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientParfum
MaskingWater, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Polyethylene, PEG-20 Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Carbomer, Zinc Gluconate, Glyceryl Stearate, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Copper Sulfate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ 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 ParfumWater. 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