What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-7
Sodium Polyphosphate
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Erythorbate
Antioxidant
CI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butyl Avocadate
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Amylopectin
Dextrin
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Cocamide DEA, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Methylparaben, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Polyphosphate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Erythorbate, CI 77288, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77492, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butyl Avocadate, Salicylic Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Amylopectin, Dextrin, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantCocamide Methyl Mea
Surfactant
PEG-160 Sorbitan Triisostearate
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Polyquaternium-7
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Catechins
Antioxidant
Lactitol
HumectantMethyl Cyclodextrin
Xylitol
Humectant
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Undecylenate
Perfuming
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Laurylpyridinium Chloride
AntimicrobialWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Propanediol, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Cocamide Methyl Mea, PEG-160 Sorbitan Triisostearate, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Chloride, Oryza Sativa Extract, Polyquaternium-7, Glyceryl Glucoside, Camellia Sinensis Catechins, Lactitol, Methyl Cyclodextrin, Xylitol, Glutamic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Methyl Undecylenate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Disodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Laurylpyridinium Chloride
Reviews
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 AcidCocamidopropyl 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.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
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.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances 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 ChlorideWater. 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
