What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Urea
Buffering
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Urea, Glycol Distearate, Beeswax, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Niacinamide, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Salicylic Acid, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingCocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Water, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Myristic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Hydroxide, Cocamide DEA, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract
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 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 EDTAMyristic Acid, aka tetradecanoic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in coconut oil and palm oil.
In skincare, it is an:
Research indicates that this ingredient posts a low risk of irritation and sensitization.
Since myristic acid is a C14 fatty acid, it falls within the range that Malassezia can metabolize, and therefore not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPotassium 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 HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
