What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Laureth-3
EmulsifyingSucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone Propyl Pg-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingLactic Acid
Buffering
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Laureth-3, Sucrose Cocoate, PEG-150 Distearate, Beta-Glucan, Panthenol, Maltodextrin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Propyl Pg-Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Citrate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Piroctone Olamine, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Beta-Glucan, Maltodextrin, Disodium Phosphate, Gluconolactone, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium 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 ChlorideSodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateWater. 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
