What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
Cleansing
Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Sucrose
Humectant
Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-7
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sucrose, Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Citric Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Astringent
Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Cellulose
Absorbent
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Shea Butteramidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Coco/Isostearamide
Surfactant
Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberTributyl Citrate
SolventButeth-3
SolventPropanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Jojoba Esters, Cellulose, Stearyl Stearate, Shea Butteramidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Coco/Isostearamide, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Tributyl Citrate, Buteth-3, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, CI 42090
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 AcidDisodium 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 EDTAHexylene 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
