What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAvena Sativa Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
CI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Chloride, Avena Sativa Leaf/Stem Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Parfum, Glutamic Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, CI 61570, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
Emollient
Magnesium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCellulose Acetate
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingMethylpropanediol
SolventAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Acrylates/Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMannitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lysine
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Andrographis Paniculata Leaf Extract
AstringentFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Water, Citric Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Magnesium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cellulose Acetate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Methylpropanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Benzoic Acid, Propanediol, Acrylates/Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer, Mannitol, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lysine, Azelaic Acid, Andrographis Paniculata Leaf Extract, Fructooligosaccharides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Parfum
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.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlyceryl Oleate is the monoester of glycerin and oleic acid. It is a skin-conditioning emollient that also helps form emulsions.
What makes glyceryl oleate special is its "re-fatting" effect.
When you wash your hair and skin with a surfactant-based cleanser, the surfactants grab onto everything. This includes your skin's natural lipids, or the fats that live in your skin barrier and sebum. Once you rinse these surfactants away, it leaves your skin feeling tight, dry, and clean (in a not-good way).
Re-fatting is essentially putting some of these lipids back. Glyceryl oleate deposits a thin layer of emollient lipids back on the skin or hair surface reduce some of the barrier damage.
Also, glyceryl oleate isn't a foreign molecule to your skin. It's chemically identical to something your skin already produces and manages naturally. This is why it tends to be well-tolerated with low risk of irritation.
Typical use levels range from 0.5-5%.
Glyceryl Oleate has a function of "perfuming" in the CosIng database. This just means that the ingredient has some scent character that can contribute to the product's overall smell.
The scent of this ingredient is described as "waxy".
As an ester of oleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. This is because oleic acid falls into the carbon-chain length that Malassezia can use as a substrate.
Learn more about Glyceryl OleateHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate isn't fungal acne safe.
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.
Learn more about ParfumWe don't have a description for Sodium Cocoamphoacetate yet.
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate is a gentle cleanser and surfactant. It is the sodium salt of the Cocoyl Glutamic Acid and comes from coconut oil. As a surfactant, it helps lift dirt and oil to be washed away.
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate also has an emolliating effect and can help leave the skin feeling soft.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
