What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
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Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCoffea Arabica Seed Oil
MaskingCopper Tripeptide-34
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCoconut Acid
CleansingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingSodium Isethionate
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventLindera Strychnifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantUbiquinone
AntioxidantGlycine
BufferingLarix Europaea Wood Extract
HumectantSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialZinc Chloride
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Benzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Copper Tripeptide-34, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Biotin, Coconut Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Isethionate, Citric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caffeine, Propanediol, Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ubiquinone, Glycine, Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Zinc Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
CleansingCocamide Mipa
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
CleansingHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicSalvia Hispanica Seed Oil
EmollientCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Glycerin
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Glycinate
CleansingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingPropoxytetramethyl Piperidinyl Dimethicone
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingC11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingPolyquaternium-7
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingAcetic Acid
BufferingSodium Acetate
BufferingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Cocamide Mipa, Parfum, Panthenol, Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Biotin, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate, PEG-150 Distearate, Propoxytetramethyl Piperidinyl Dimethicone, Trideceth-6, C11-15 Pareth-7, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-7, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Acetic Acid, Sodium Acetate, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholBiotin is a B vitamin that is naturally produced by our bodies. It is also called Vitamin H.
Our bodies use biotin in the metabolism process. It also helps our bodies use enzymes and move nutrients around. A biotin deficiency can lead to brittle hair and nails.
More research is needed on applying biotin topically. However, taking biotin orally has been shown to help nourish the skin, hair, and nails. They play a role in forming skin-hydrating fatty acids.
Biotin is water-soluble. It can be found in foods such as fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and meat. Vitamin H stands for "haar" and "haut". These are the German words for hair and skin.
Learn more about BiotinCitric 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 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 ParfumSodium 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 SulfonateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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