Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Dove Damage Therapy Bond Strength 10 in 1 Serum Mask Versus Kérastase Discipline Smoothing Hair Mask for Frizzy Hair

Dove Damage Therapy Bond Strength 10 in 1 Serum Mask Versus Kérastase Discipline Smoothing Hair Mask for Frizzy Hair What's inside Key Ingredients No key ingredients Benefits No benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Cetearyl Alcohol Glycerin Behentr

Dove Damage Therapy Bond Strength 10 in 1 Serum Mask Versus Kérastase Discipline Smoothing Hair Mask for Frizzy Hair

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

No benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glycerin

Behentrimonium Chloride

Dimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer

Isohexadecane

Dipropylene Glycol

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Sh-Polypeptide-121

Hydrolyzed Pea Protein

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

Parfum

Citric Acid

Lactic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Gluconate

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Citrate

Cetrimonium Chloride

Benzyl Salicylate

Citronellol

Hexyl Cinnamal

Limonene

Linalool

CI 19140

CI 17200

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Dimethiconol/Silsesquioxane Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Dipropylene Glycol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sh-Polypeptide-121, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Parfum, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Gluconate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, CI 19140, CI 17200

Cetyl Esters

Phenoxyethanol

Amodimethicone

Isopropyl Alcohol

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Glyceryl Linoleate

Chlorhexidine Digluconate

Trideceth-6

Glyceryl Oleate

Benzyl Alcohol

Hydroxycitronellal

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Geraniol

Coumarin

Safflower Glucoside

Iris Florentina Root Extract

Glyceryl Linolenate

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Esters, Phenoxyethanol, Amodimethicone, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Glyceryl Linoleate, Citric Acid, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Trideceth-6, Glyceryl Oleate, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Coumarin, Safflower Glucoside, Cetrimonium Chloride, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Glyceryl Linolenate, Parfum

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.

It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

This ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.

Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.

Citric 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.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".

Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.

Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.

Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,

Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.

Hexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.

This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.

Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.

This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.

Parfum 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.

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Side-by-side

  1. 01Dimethicone
  2. 02Isohexadecane
  3. 03C13-14 Isoparaffin
  4. 04Coco-Caprylate
  5. 05Phenyl Trimethicone
  6. 06Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate
  7. 07Propanediol
  8. 08Zea Mays Oil
  9. 09Beta-Carotene
  10. 10Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
  11. 11Punica Granatum Seed Oil
  12. 12Water
  13. 13Morinda Citrifolia Leaf Powder
  14. 14Parfum
  15. 15Hexyl Cinnamal
  16. 16Limonene
  17. 17Tocopherol
  18. 18Citral
  19. 19Linalool
  20. 20Citronellol
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

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03

Comparison edit

Read side by side