What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Cellulose
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Lactose
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantChamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantJojoba Esters
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDecylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lactate, Cellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Chlorphenesin, Lactose, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Bisabolol, CI 77492, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, CI 77491, Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 19140, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Ascorbyl Palmitate, CI 77891, Decylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
Surfactant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-39
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Laureth-10
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPantolactone
Humectant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Glycol Distearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyquaternium-39, Cocamide Mea, Laureth-10, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Pantolactone, Benzoic Acid, Bisabolol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCocamidopropyl 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 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate is a synthetic, water-soluble surfactant and emulsifier.
It's a "superfatting" agent that helps replenish some of your skin's oils after they're stripped away by other surfactants.
This is why "gentle" and "moisturizing" cleansers feel less stripping than basic ones.
Typical concentrations range from 1-10% and it has a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe at concentrations up to 10% in leave-on products.
Dermal application tests at 50% also did not produce irritation in two studies.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe and in vitro studies have shown Malassezia can metabolize it.
Learn more about PEG-7 Glyceryl CocoatePhenoxyethanol 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 Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
