What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
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Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Glucoside
CleansingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialVitis Vinifera Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningP-Anisic Acid
MaskingSodium Phytate
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPapain
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingVitis Vinifera Juice
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
MaskingAlgin
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Mandelic Acid, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water, Sodium Levulinate, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Papain, Citric Acid, Vitis Vinifera Juice, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Sodium Benzoate, Algin, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Glucoside
CleansingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCentaurea Cyanus Flower Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
MaskingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientBacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPapain
Skin ConditioningAlgin
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Lactobacillus, Propylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Papain, Algin, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Parfum, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Algin is brown algae. Algae is an informal term for a group of aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize. It is estimated there are at least 30,000 types of Algae.
Algae contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolThis ingredient is a mild surfactant made by sticking glucose onto a blend of fatty acids.
It does two jobs because it has a sugar head that loves water and a fatty tail that loves oil:
Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.
Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.
Learn more about Caprylyl/Capryl GlucosideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinPapain is an enzyme found naturally in the papaya plant's leaves, fruit, and roots. It has antimicrobial, soothing, and wound healing properties.
Glycine and Vitamin A are naturally found in papain.
While papain is often touted as skin-lightening, further studies are needed to prove this. However, papain has been shown to help soothe acne-inflammation.
Papain belongs to a class of enzymes called proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes break down peptides and amino acids.
Some studies found papain to be a potential skin sensitizer and allergen. Those with latex allergies might also be allergic to papaya.
Learn more about PapainParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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