What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMyristic Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
CleansingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientGlycol Distearate
EmollientGlycol Stearate
EmollientPEG-8
HumectantSodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
CleansingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantPanax Notoginseng Root Extract
HumectantParfum
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMalpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Laureth-7, Palmitic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Glycol Stearate, PEG-8, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Sorbitan Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Panax Notoginseng Root Extract, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, CI 14700
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMyristic Acid
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingPEG-32
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantLauric Acid
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentMenthol
MaskingSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingTorreya Nucifera Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLimonene
PerfumingJuniperus Communis Fruit Oil
MaskingPinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
MaskingJuniperus Virginiana Oil
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantifolia Oil
CleansingDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingArtemisia Vulgaris Oil
PerfumingSalicylic Acid
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingRosa Centifolia Flower Extract
AstringentCupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil
EmollientLactic Acid
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, PEG-32, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Lauric Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Coco-Glucoside, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Decyl Glucoside, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Menthol, Sodium Metaphosphate, Torreya Nucifera Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Linalool, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Salicylic Acid, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil, Lactic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium 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