Face Cleanser
Face Cleanser
Korean South Korea
American United States

What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate

Cleansing
Coconut Derived Icon

Coco-Betaine

Cleansing
Coconut Derived Icon

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Cleansing
Coconut Derived Icon

Sodium Chloride

Masking

PCA

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

PPG-5-Ceteth-20

Emulsifying

PEG-100 Stearate

Surfactant
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides

Emulsifying

PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

CI 77891

Cosmetic Colorant

Aspartic Acid

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ceramide AP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Ceramide EOP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sorbitan Isostearate

Emulsifying
1-2 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Glycol Distearate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Oleate

Emollient
Fragrance IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycine

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Trideceth-6

Emulsifying

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconCoconut Derived IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Surfactant
Sulfate Icon

Threonine

Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Salicylic Acid

Masking
BHA IconPreservative IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Skin Texture IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium PCA

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sodium Lactate

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Arginine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Emulsifying

Serine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Valine

Masking

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Proline

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Isoleucine

Skin Conditioning

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Alanine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Phenylalanine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Coconut Acid

Cleansing
Coconut Derived IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Coco-Glucoside

Cleansing
Coconut Derived Icon

Chlorphenesin

Antimicrobial
Preservative Icon

Disodium EDTA

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Phytosphingosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Histidine

Humectant
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Polyquaternium-53

Polyquaternium-39

Polysorbate 60

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Benzoic Acid

Masking
Preservative IconMay worsen Eczema Icon

Reviews

3.67
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Works Well 54% Great Value 23% Light 23%
3.20
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Works Well 39% Great Value 37% Drying 37%

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol
Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant

Coco-Betaine is the natural version of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is often derived from coconuts.

Coco-Betaine is a surfactant, meaning it helps remove dirt and oil from the skin.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA
Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Learn more about Ethylhexylglycerin
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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.

Learn more about Glycerin
Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.

Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.

Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid
Masking

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.

You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride
Cleansing, Surfactant

Sodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.

The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.

This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.

This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.

Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing, Foaming, Surfactant

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.

As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.

It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.

Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.

Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.

Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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!

Learn more about Water

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