What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingPropanediol
Solvent
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingColloidal Gold
AntimicrobialRhododendron Ferrugineum Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningPhalaenopsis Amabilis Extract
HumectantCaesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Isomalt
HumectantLecithin
Emollient
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Xylityl Sesquicaprylate
Antimicrobial
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCalcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Silica
Abrasive
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Panthenol, Rosa Damascena Extract, Colloidal Gold, Rhododendron Ferrugineum Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Phalaenopsis Amabilis Extract, Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Hydrolyzed Silk, Lactic Acid, Isomalt, Lecithin, Anhydroxylitol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Xylityl Sesquicaprylate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Silica, Tin Oxide, Mica, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, CI 77891, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Trehalose
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-3 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Tromethamine
BufferingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Trehalose, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine
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.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 BenzoateWater. 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
