Bath & Body Works Moisturizing Body Wash Versus Hempz Pink Pomelo And Himalayan Sea Salt Herbal Foaming Body Wash
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningLauramide Mea
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingParfum
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCocamide Mipa
EmulsifyingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Cocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientOleth-10
EmulsifyingSodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingPalmitic Acid
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientCoco-Glucoside
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingPolyquaternium-10
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPPG-12-Buteth-16
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantLimonene
PerfumingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Lauramide Mea, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Glycerin, Cocamide Mipa, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Oleth-10, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Citric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Glucoside, Stearic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, CI 77891, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PPG-12-Buteth-16, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, BHT, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Glycinate
CleansingParfum
MaskingSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
AstringentSea Water
HumectantKappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningShea Butter Ethyl Esters
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingPolyquaternium-10
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Limonene
PerfumingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate, Parfum, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Potassium Cocoate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Sea Water, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Sodium PCA, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
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 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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneParfum 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.
Polyquaternium-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-10We don't have a description for Sodium Lauroamphoacetate yet.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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