What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Soybean Oil
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Glycinate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid 2%, Benzyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Water
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Acrylates Copolymer
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Chromium Hydroxide Green
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-4
Emulsifying
Lauroyl/Myristoyl Methyl Glucamide
EmollientMannitol
Humectant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentOlive Oil PEG-8 Esters
Emollient
Polyquaternium-39
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSynthetic Wax
Abrasive
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid 2%, Acrylates Copolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Chromium Hydroxide Green, Citric Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Betaine, Coconut Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Glycolic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Laureth-4, Lauroyl/Myristoyl Methyl Glucamide, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Olive Oil PEG-8 Esters, Polyquaternium-39, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Synthetic Wax, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Water
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinSalicylic 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 AcidChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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
