What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientPEG-4 Rapeseedamide
Coco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
EmollientCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCaprylic Acid
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Nonanoate
EmollientTriticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingLinoleic Acid
CleansingBenzoic Acid
MaskingHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantOctadecene
SolventButyl Butyrate
PerfumingHydrocinnamyl Cinnamate
PerfumingParfum
MaskingAlpha-Ionol
PerfumingIsomethyl-Beta-Ionone
PerfumingSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycol Distearate, PEG-4 Rapeseedamide, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Panthenol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Caprylic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Citric Acid, Linoleic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Octadecene, Butyl Butyrate, Hydrocinnamyl Cinnamate, Parfum, Alpha-Ionol, Isomethyl-Beta-Ionone, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingParfum
MaskingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingArginine
MaskingCoco-Betaine
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Citric Acid
BufferingPolyquaternium-7
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingSalicylic Acid
MaskingBenzoic Acid
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamide Mea, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Parfum, Hexylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carbomer, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Arginine, Coco-Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Benzoate, Salicylic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCitric 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 BetaineGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateParfum 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 ParfumSodium 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.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water