Ingredients Explained
This product contains 14 ingredients. Click on any ingredient tolearn more about it
1
Water
What it does:Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating:Loved
Water. 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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water2
Paraffinum Liquidum
What it does:Emollient, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating:Very Disliked
Paraffinum Liquidum is also known as liquid paraffin. It is a type of highly refined mineral oil.
Like other oils, Paraffinum Liquidum has emollient properties. Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture within, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.
Paraffinum Liquidum does not irritate the skin and is non-comedogenic. However, this ingredient may not work well for those with oily skin or fungal acne.
If you have concerns about using this ingredient in your routine, we recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about Paraffinum Liquidum3
Ceteareth-25
What it does:Cleansing, Emulsifying
Community Rating:Disliked
Ceteareth-25 comes from Cetearyl Alcohol. (And Cetearyl Alcohol is created from cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol.
This ingredient is a fatty alcohol used as an emulsifier and surfactant. As an emulsifier, it helps oil mix with water.
Like cetearyl alcohol, Ceteareth-25 can help thicken and create a gel-like consistency.
Learn more about Ceteareth-254
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
What it does:Emulsifying
Community Rating:Very Disliked
Sorbitan Sesquioleate is derived from sorbitol and oleic acid. It is an emulsifier and prevents ingredients from separating.
Specifically, this ingredient is a water-in-oil emulsifier, meaning it helps water dissolve into oil.
Some studies suggest this ingredient may cause irritation in some people. If you are unsure, it is best to patch test.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan Sesquioleate5
Glycerin
What it does:Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating:Loved
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about Glycerin6
Squalane
What it does:Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating:Loved
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Because squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits: it is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.
Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.
Research shows that squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).
In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.
The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.
Is squalane vegan?This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Learn more about Squalane7
Cetearyl Alcohol
What it does:Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating:Very Disliked
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.
Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol8
Methylparaben
What it does:Preservative
Community Rating:Very Disliked
Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about Methylparaben9
Phenoxyethanol
What it does:Preservative
Community Rating:Very Disliked
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.
10
Glyceryl Stearate
What it does:Emollient, Emulsifying
Community Rating:Disliked
Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
Glyceryl Stearate is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced. The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate11
Xanthan Gum
What it does:Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating:Disliked
Xanthan 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 Gum12
Parfum
What it does:Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating:Very Disliked
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, 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.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term '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. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.
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 Parfum13
CI 77891
What it does:Cosmetic Colorant
Community Rating:Disliked
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 7789114
CI 77491
What it does:Cosmetic Colorant
Community Rating:Mixed
Ci 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491Embed Ingredients
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