What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHectorite
AbsorbentTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hectorite, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Calcium Gluconate, Ceramide NP, Triethyl Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Carbomer, Benzoic Acid, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Coco-Betaine, Salicylic Acid, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Hexylene Glycol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Zinc PCA, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Benzyl Alcohol
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 GlycerinPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate is an emulsifier, thickener, and mild conditioner.
It's made by esterifying and pentaerythritol with stearic acid, and then attaching 150 units of ethylene oxide to make it water-friendly.
This structure lets it bridge oil and water to prevent ingredients from separating and keep formulas stable. It is also the reason it gives cosmetics a creamy feel without the greasiness.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be well-tolerated. Human repeated patch testing on the undiluted version has come back negative for irritation and sensitization. On top of that, its large molecule size makes skin penetration unlikely.
Usage concentration ranges from 5% in rinse-off to 1.8% in leave-on formulas.
Because this ingredient is made from stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate.
Learn more about PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl TetrastearateSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidSodium 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
