What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
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Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil
AntimicrobialBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingBis-PCA Dimethicone
Butylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingPEG-150 Stearate
Polyquaternium-10
Polyquaternium-7
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-8
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingBenzoic Acid
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingExtracts
CI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Aminomethyl Propanol, Bis-PCA Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, PEG-12 Dimethicone, PEG-150 Distearate, PEG-150 Stearate, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-7, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, PEG-8, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Extracts, CI 60730
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-73
Disodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPEG-12 Allyl Ether
PEG-12
HumectantCoconut Acid
CleansingCetearamidoethyldiethonium Succinoyl Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingAlgin
MaskingCarrageenan
Chitosan
Sorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantBasic Red 51
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-73, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-12 Allyl Ether, PEG-12, Coconut Acid, Cetearamidoethyldiethonium Succinoyl Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Coco-Glucoside, Algin, Carrageenan, Chitosan, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, CI 60730, Basic Red 51
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.
Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.
Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.
Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.
Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.
Learn more about Chamomilla Recutita Flower ExtractThis ingredient is a purple dye. It is also known as Violet No. 2 or Acid Violet 43 and is a synthetic dye derived from coal tar.
According to a manufacturer, this dye it known for its intense color saturation and resistance to fading.
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 GlycerinThough this ingredient might sound like a juicy fruit extract, it's actually the fat pressed from the mango seed kernel (or the pit). In skincare, it behaves more like shea butter and cocoa butter than like a plant active.
The fatty acid makeup of mango seed butter makes it special; it's typically rich in stearic acid and oleic acid, with small amounts of palmitic and linoleic acid. This combo helps it melt on skin, feel creamy, and leave behind a protective "seal" that slows down water loss.
It also contains a small amount of "extras" like tocopherols (vitamin E) and phytosterols, which are often used to support skin soothing.
Due to its fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Mangifera Indica Seed ButterParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPEG-12 Dimethicone is a type of water-soluble silicone. It has skin conditioning and hydrating properties.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient's stability is decreased by strong acid or alkali.
This ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima 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 BenzoateSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateChances 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 TaurateWater. 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