Educational guide
Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo For Damaged Hair Versus L'Oreal Elvive Total Repair 5 Repairing Conditioner
Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo For Damaged Hair Versus L'Oreal Elvive Total Repair 5 Repairing Conditioner What's inside Key Ingredients No key ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Sodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate Cocamidopropyl Betaine Sodi
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Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo For Damaged Hair Versus L'Oreal Elvive Total Repair 5 Repairing Conditioner
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No 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
Cetearyl Alcohol
Amodimethicone
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Behentrimonium Chloride
Dipropylene Glycol
Phenoxyethanol
Benzoic Acid
Trideceth-6
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Potassium Hydroxide
Benzyl Alcohol
Cetrimonium Chloride
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Amyl Cinnamal
Coumarin
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
CI 19140
CI 15985
Xanthan Gum
Sorbic Acid
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Amodimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Trideceth-6, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Linalool, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Limonene, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Amyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Citronellol, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, CI 19140, CI 15985, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sorbic 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.
Benzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
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.
Glycerin (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.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
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.
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!