What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder
Abrasive
Oryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
ChelatingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, PEG-150 Distearate, Glycolic Acid, Parfum, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder, Oryza Sativa Cera, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Propanediol, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Coco-Sulfate
Cleansing
PEG-8
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
Masking
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingPolyquaternium-7
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, PEG-8, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Glycol Distearate, Cocamide Mea, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 19140, CI 17200
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
CI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140Cocamidopropyl 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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium 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
