What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium 2-Sulfolaurate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventHouttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
Antimicrobial
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingVincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChitosan
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Succinic Acid
BufferingLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Protease
Exfoliating
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Chitosan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tromethamine, Coco-Glucoside, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Succinic Acid, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Hexylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Protease, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Cholesterol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 AcidHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolParfum 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumChances 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
