What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 3%
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingGlycol Distearate
EmollientMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantSodium PCA
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingMenthyl Lactate
MaskingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Oil
MaskingCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
AntioxidantCharcoal Powder
AbrasiveCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSalicylic Acid 3%, Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Citrate, Glycol Distearate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Sodium PCA, Lactic Acid, Menthyl Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Panthenol, Mentha Piperita Oil, Caramel, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Charcoal Powder, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Biotin, Hyaluronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingCocamide Mipa
EmulsifyingGlycol Distearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantAvena Sativa Peptide
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
PEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingSodium Lauroyl Glycinate
CleansingAmodimethicone
C11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingLaureth-9
EmulsifyingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-7
Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingPEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBenzoic Acid
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamide Mipa, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, Cetrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Avena Sativa Peptide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate, Amodimethicone, C11-15 Pareth-7, Laureth-9, Trideceth-12, Polyquaternium-7, Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, CI 14700, CI 15985
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl 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 BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycol 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 DistearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium 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