What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMenthol
Masking
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Menthol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium PCA
Humectant
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Mannitol
Humectant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningMalic Acid
Buffering
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTartaric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium PCA, Potassium Cocoate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, DMDM Hydantoin, Gluconolactone, Zea Mays Starch, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Mica, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Malic Acid, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Tartaric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, CI 77891, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl 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 BetaineEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinParfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium 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
