What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Silica
Abrasive
Acrylates Copolymer
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
CleansingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Laureth-2
CleansingDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Sulfate
Monosodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBHT
Antioxidant
EDTA
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Silica, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Sucrose, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Caffeine, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Salicylic Acid, Laureth-2, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Chloride, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfate, Monosodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, BHT, EDTA, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate
SurfactantAcrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingCellulose
Absorbent
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Cellulose, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Glycolic Acid, Parfum, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract comes from the flesh of the papaya. It's a skin conditioning agent that carries a mix of bioactives like papain, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.
These bioactive compounds give it two main talking points:
1. Papain is a proteolytic enzyme that provides mild exfoliation, helping skin look smoother and more even.
2. The carotenoids and vitamin C provide some antioxidant activity.
It's pretty compatible with most ingredients, but just sure to space out enzyme products with strong acids/retinoids to avoid over-doing it.
Maximum reported concentration is around 0.1% and most leave-on products use just 0.05%. If you see higher figures like 5-10%, this is usually the pre-diluted material from raw extract suppliers.
This ingredient has an assuring safety record and there's a lack of clinical case reports of dermatitis from using it.
The only caveat is allergy: patch test if you have a papaya or latex-fruit allergy.
Learn more about Carica Papaya Fruit ExtractCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
Disodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium 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
