What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sodium Palmate
CleansingSodium Cocoate
Cleansing
Sodium Palm Kernelate
CleansingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingGeraniol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Sodium Palmate
CleansingSodium Palm Kernelate
CleansingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Sodium Palmate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Linalool, Eugenol, Citral, Limonene, Geraniol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
The term '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.
Learn more about CitralEugenol is naturally found in cloves, basil, and bay leaves. It is an aromatic oil used to add fragrance to a product. The scent of eugenol is described as "clove-like". Eugenol is a known EU allergen, meaning it causes contact allergies.
Studies show eugenol possesses antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
Besides cosmetics, eugenol is also added as a flavor in teas and cakes.
Learn more about EugenolGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool 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 LinaloolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateThis ingredient is derived from the fatty acids of palm kernel oil and is considered a traditional soap.
It acts as a surfactant by making it easier for water to wash away dirt, oil, and other impurities.
Sodium Palmate is a surfactant and used to saponify fatty acids. It can be derived from palm oil or synthetically created.
As a surfactant, it helps lift dirt and oil off the skin to be cleansed.
Sodium Palmate is also used during the soap-making process to saponify fatty acids. This helps soap creates bubbles without leaving residue on the skin.
This ingredient is sometimes called saponified palm oil.
Learn more about Sodium PalmateWater. 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
