What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantGlycol Distearate
EmollientSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingMethylpropanediol
SolventPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingEclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
MaskingCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingSalicylic Acid
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Methylpropanediol, Potassium Cocoate, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Chloride, Coco-Glucoside, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Decylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingTea-Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingPEG-32
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSorbitol
HumectantParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientOlive Oil PEG-8 Esters
EmollientArachidic Acid
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-7
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Benzoate
MaskingAbelmoschus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMalva Sylvestris Extract
AstringentDioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientSea Water
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantGlycine
BufferingSerine
MaskingThreonine
PCA
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Tea-Lauryl Sulfate, PEG-32, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Chlorphenesin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cellulose Gum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Olive Oil PEG-8 Esters, Arachidic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-7, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Abelmoschus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Malva Sylvestris Extract, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sea Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Serine, Threonine, PCA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinChances 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