What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycol Distearate
EmollientPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingHydroxypropylammonium Gluconate
HumectantHydroxypropylgluconamide
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Glycereth-26
HumectantLaureth-4
EmulsifyingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Citric Acid
BufferingMethyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantLinalool
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingCI 75120
Cosmetic ColorantHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingIsoeugenol
PerfumingWater, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, PEG-150 Distearate, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxypropylammonium Gluconate, Hydroxypropylgluconamide, Disodium EDTA, Glycereth-26, Laureth-4, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-10, Citric Acid, Methyl Gluceth-10, Propylene Glycol, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Vegetable Oil, Geraniol, Citronellol, CI 75120, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Potassium Hydroxide, Isoeugenol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate
EmulsifyingDisodium Cocoamphodipropionate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingHydroxypropylgluconamide
HumectantSodium C14-17 Alkyl Sec Sulfonate
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientCocotrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialPolyquaternium-10
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingHydroxypropylammonium Gluconate
HumectantPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingPPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin ConditioningCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCoumarin
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Disodium Cocoamphodipropionate, Panthenol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Hydroxypropylgluconamide, Sodium C14-17 Alkyl Sec Sulfonate, Glycol Distearate, Cocotrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Hydroxypropylammonium Gluconate, PEG-150 Distearate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Glycerin, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Coumarin, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 BetaineDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilGlycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.
That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.
This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.
Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateWe don't have a description for Hydroxypropylammonium Gluconate yet.
We don't have a description for Hydroxypropylgluconamide yet.
Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 ParfumPeg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate is used to improve texture and stability of a product. It is sugar based and helps thicken a product.
Once applied, it also creates a thin film to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
This ingredient is the polyethylene glycol ether of the diester of oleic acid and methylglucose. The 120 represents an average of 120 moles of ethylene oxide.
There is limited research on this ingredient, although it is considered safe to use in skincare products.
Learn more about PEG-120 Methyl Glucose DioleatePEG-150 Distearate is a hardworking ingredient that is usually found at the end of a lot of cleansers whose main job is to act as a micellar thickening agent for surfactant-based cleansers.
It works by physically linking up surfactant micelles already in a formula to bump up viscosity and gives products a pourable-but-not-runny body.
Safety-wise, it's been found safe in cosmetics with minimal skin irritation and no evidence of toxicity.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe; it's a diester of stearic acid (C18) that falls into the C11-24 range that the Malassezia yeast feeds on. In vitro studies have also shown the Malassezia can metabolize PEG stearates by cleaving the ester bond to release the fatty acid.
Learn more about PEG-150 DistearatePhenoxyethanol 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-10Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateWater. 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