What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingRubus Idaeus Juice
AstringentPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPolyquaternium-10
Parfum
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Methyl Isethionate
EmulsifyingLauric Acid
CleansingZinc Laurate
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
ChelatingSodium Laurate
CleansingDenatonium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Coco-Glucoside, Rubus Idaeus Juice, Panthenol, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-10, Parfum, Citric Acid, Sodium Methyl Isethionate, Lauric Acid, Zinc Laurate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Laurate, Denatonium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
SurfactantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingParfum
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
BufferingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPolyquaternium-10
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Phytate
ChelatingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantLecithin
EmollientLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingAmyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Lactic Acid, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polyquaternium-10, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Inulin, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Phytate, CI 19140, Tocopherol, CI 14700, Lecithin, Linalool, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Salicylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a mild surfactant made by sticking glucose onto a blend of fatty acids.
It does two jobs because it has a sugar head that loves water and a fatty tail that loves oil:
Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.
Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.
Learn more about Caprylyl/Capryl GlucosideCitric 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.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
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 BetaineCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlycerin (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 ParfumPolyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.
This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.
For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.
Learn more about Polyquaternium-10Sodium 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 BenzoateSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate is a gentle, sulfate-free cleansing agent. It's basically a mild "soap" molecule derived from coconut that makes a soft, cream foam and is very soluble in water.
Typical concentration use ranges from ~0.6-10% in rinse off products and only trace amounts (~0.009%) in leave on products.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has assessed it and concluded it to be safe as used at these concentrations when formulated to be non-irritating.
Allergy and sensitization risk is low and often when someone reacts to a cleanser it's due to the fragrance or preservatives rather than this ingredient itself.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl Methyl IsethionateWater. 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