What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ConditioningMarrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ProtectingMelilotus Officinalis Extract
AstringentTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Lecithin
Emollient
Dextran
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCellulose
Absorbent
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lactose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantCI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantLimonene
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Dna, Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Melilotus Officinalis Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Lecithin, Dextran, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Cellulose, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 77007, CI 60730, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningC9-12 Alkane
SolventUndecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Silybum Marianum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tromethamine
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Escin
TonicCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningActinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientKalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract
MaskingMyrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Orthosiphon Stamineus Extract
Skin ConditioningHedychium Coronarium Root Extract
MaskingSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningJania Rubens Extract
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Engelhardtia Chrysolepis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCallicarpa Japonica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, C9-12 Alkane, Undecane, Glycerin, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Tridecane, Pentylene Glycol, Squalane, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Silybum Marianum Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tromethamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Escin, Carbomer, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Xanthan Gum, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil Unsaponifiables, Caramel, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Disodium EDTA, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract, Citric Acid, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Maltodextrin, Orthosiphon Stamineus Extract, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Mangifera Indica Leaf Extract, Jania Rubens Extract, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Engelhardtia Chrysolepis Leaf Extract, CI 14700, Callicarpa Japonica Fruit Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerCitric 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 AcidDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
Itâs often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopheryl 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
