What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingGlycereth-26
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Pantolactone
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Gluconolactone, Betaine, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycereth-26, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Mandelic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Pantolactone
Water
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
PEG-32
HumectantCocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-13 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientSalicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Polyphosphate
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Erythorbate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
CI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Bixa Orellana Seed Extract
MaskingAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Fucose
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Algin
Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Saposhnikovia Divaricata Root Extract
AntimicrobialGastrodia Elata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Albizia Julibrissin Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, PEG-32, Cocamide DEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-100 Stearate, Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyphosphate, Chlorphenesin, Coconut Acid, Sodium Erythorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, CI 77288, CI 77492, Sodium Hyaluronate, Kaolin, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Fucose, Hydrolyzed Algin, Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Saposhnikovia Divaricata Root Extract, Gastrodia Elata Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Albizia Julibrissin Flower Extract, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Salicylic 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, itβs 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 ChlorideWater. 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
