Educational guide
Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo For Damaged Hair Versus Herbal Essences Grapeseed Sulfate Free Color Nurture Shampoo
Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo For Damaged Hair Versus Herbal Essences Grapeseed Sulfate Free Color Nurture Shampoo What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Sodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate Cocamidopropyl Betaine Sodium Glucona
This guide cannot diagnose a condition or recommend a personal treatment plan. Discuss medical questions with a qualified professional.
Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo For Damaged Hair Versus Herbal Essences Grapeseed Sulfate Free Color Nurture Shampoo
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Sodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Sodium Gluconate
Parfum
Dimethiconol
Citric Acid
Sodium Chloride
Sodium Benzoate
Glycerin
Glycol Distearate
Carbomer
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
PPG-9
Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
Cocamide Mea
Disodium EDTA
PEG-45m
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Benzyl Salicylate
Citronellol
Hexyl Cinnamal
Limonene
Linalool
Mica
CI 77891
Water, Sodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Gluconate, Parfum, Dimethiconol, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Carbomer, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PPG-9, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Cocamide Mea, Disodium EDTA, PEG-45m, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Mica, CI 77891
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Histidine
Polyquaternium-10
Sodium Salicylate
Sodium Citrate
Tetrasodium EDTA
Ascorbic Acid
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Parfum, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Histidine, Sodium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Salicylate, Citric Acid, Dimethiconol, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ascorbic Acid
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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.
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.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Dimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
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.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
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!