What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Benzoyl Peroxide 4%
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Benzoyl Peroxide 4%, Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzoic Acid
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethyl Lauramide/Myristamide
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Caprate
EmollientLauryl Lactyl Lactate
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-10
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Boswellia Serrata Gum Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xylitol
Humectant
Caprylic Acid
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid 2%, Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Propanediol, Dimethyl Lauramide/Myristamide, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glyceryl Caprate, Lauryl Lactyl Lactate, Oligopeptide-10, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Boswellia Serrata Gum Extract, Honey Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Xylitol, Caprylic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateSodium 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 Water
