What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Surfactant
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMalt Extract
Skin ProtectingOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Decyl Glucoside, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Malt Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Potassium Benzoate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Arginine, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Dipropylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Polyquaternium-67
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Diatomaceous Earth
Abrasive
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Coconut Acid, Polyquaternium-67, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Diatomaceous Earth, Isopropyl Alcohol, Citric 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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanButylene 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 GlycolCaprylyl 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, 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinChances 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
