What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningQuartz
AbrasiveGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOrmenis Multicaulis Oil
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCoconut Acid
CleansingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
EmollientPullulan
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingSilica
AbrasiveLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Quartz, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Glycerin, C12-16 Alcohols, Lactic Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Coconut Acid, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Pullulan, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Isethionate, Silica, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPerlite
AbsorbentPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingPrunus Armeniaca Seed Powder
AbrasiveDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCeteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingMenthol
MaskingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantCastanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Perlite, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Citric Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Menthol, Caffeine, Limonene, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Juice, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 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 LimonenePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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