What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingDisodium Oleamido Mipa-Sulfosuccinate
CleansingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Stearamidoethyl Diethylamine
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Menthol
Masking
Trisodium Sulfosuccinate
BufferingSodium Sulfate
Oleamide Mipa
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantMethylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium Oleamido Mipa-Sulfosuccinate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Salicylic Acid, Stearamidoethyl Diethylamine, Butylene Glycol, Menthol, Trisodium Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Sulfate, Oleamide Mipa, Caramel, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyethylene
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteth-2
EmulsifyingMenthyl PCA
HumectantCalendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Menthol
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Polyethylene, Glyceryl Stearate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteth-2, Menthyl PCA, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Menthol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate is a surfactant and helps cleanse skin. It is created from the fatty acids of coconut oil.
Surfactants help rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants easily from skin. It has a faint fruit-like scent.
Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHexylene 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 GlycolMagnesium Aluminum Silicate is a type of silica. It comes from naturally occuring minerals such as silicate ores and clay.
Magnesium aluminum silicate is used for enhancing texture and as an absorbent. Due to its large molecular size, it is unable to be absorbed into the skin.
Like other types of silica, this ingredient can be used to thicken a product. As an absorbent, it may be used to absorb extra water or help prevent clumping.
Although âaluminumâ in an ingredient name can raise red flags for some consumers, the form and usage context matter significantly. For typical topical applications, there is no substantial evidence of health risks - such as cancer, neurotoxicity, or systemic âaluminum overload.â
Learn more about Magnesium Aluminum SilicateMenthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.
Menthol is known for its cooling sensation; however, the cooling is actually from your skin being sensitized. Menthol can worsen rosacea. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Menthol also has antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about MentholPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
