What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide
EmollientSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Mannitol
Humectant
Cellulose
Absorbent
Spiraea Ulmaria Extract
AstringentDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Niacin
SmoothingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Laureth-2
CleansingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Sulfate
Disodium EDTA
Ammonium Lactate
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium PCA
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
CI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantCitronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Acrylates Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Mannitol, Cellulose, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacin, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Glycol, Laureth-2, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Sulfate, Disodium EDTA, Ammonium Lactate, Salicylic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium PCA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzoic Acid, Parfum, CI 77289, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCocamidopropyl 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 EthylhexylglycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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, 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
