What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientPolyquaternium-7
Oryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentGlycol Stearate
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingSphingolipids
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingPolyquaternium-67
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Ceramide NP
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingViola Odorata Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingBarosma Betulina Leaf Extract
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Glycol Distearate, Polyquaternium-7, Oryza Sativa Extract, Glycol Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Cocoate, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Stearic Acid, Sphingolipids, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-67, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, Ceramide NP, Fructooligosaccharides, Sodium Benzoate, Viola Odorata Flower/Leaf Extract, Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPropanediol
SolventSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Copolymer
Sodium Caproyl Methyltaurate
CleansingCoco-Betaine
CleansingParfum
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf
PerfumingOryza Sativa Powder
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBetaphycus Gelatinum Extract
BleachingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyquaternium-39
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Carbonate
BufferingAlcohol
AntimicrobialWater, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Propanediol, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Caproyl Methyltaurate, Coco-Betaine, Parfum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Oryza Sativa Powder, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaphycus Gelatinum Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Potassium Hydroxide, Polyquaternium-39, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Carbonate, Alcohol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Chondrus Crispus Extract comes from a red algae native to the northern Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. It helps hydrate the skin and is rich in antioxidants.
The antioxidants in chondrus crispus include lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein has the ability to filter blue light from screens.
Other contents of chondrus crispus include polysaccharides, peptides, and amino acids. These help hydrate the skin.
What's the difference between algae and seaweed?
Algae is a broad term that includes seaweed. Not all algae is seaweed.
Disodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSodium 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