What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPropanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Medica Peel Oil
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCoconut Acid
Cleansing
Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Jasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 60, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Chloride, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citrus Medica Peel Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Gluconate, Coconut Acid, Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Tocopherol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Acrylates Copolymer
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-7
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Acrylates Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzophenone-4, Cocamide Mipa, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Polyquaternium-7, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Limonene, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, CI 60730
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl 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 BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene 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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool 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.
Learn more about LinaloolPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
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 ChlorideThis gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.
According to the manufacturer, it is soluble in water and has resistance to hard water, acid, and alkali.
Due to its coconut base, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateTocopherol 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
