What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Tomato Skin
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hordeum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polydextrose
HumectantDextrin
AbsorbentAmylopectin
Glycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Coumarin
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lactic Acid, Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Charcoal Powder, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Tomato Skin, Salicylic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hordeum Vulgare Seed Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Allantoin, Niacinamide, Polydextrose, Dextrin, Amylopectin, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAcrylates Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingPoloxamer 184
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-39
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Tocopheryl Phosphate
Antioxidant
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Poloxamer 184, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-39, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Parfum, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate, CI 17200
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
