What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Enteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, Betaine, Gluconolactone, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Caprylyl Glycol, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingSodium Oleoyl Sarcosinate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Oleate
CleansingOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Oleoyl Sarcosinate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Oleate, Oleanolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
