What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Lauramine Oxide
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantSalicylic Acid
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Water, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Lauramine Oxide, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Salicylic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceramide NP, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Parfum, Imidazolidinyl Urea
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinLauramine Oxide is a gentle surfactant from the amine oxide family. It's made by reacting a coconut or palm-derived starting material with hydrogen peroxide.
It plays several roles in skincare:
The best range for this ingredient is between 6-8.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe at current use levels with a maximum of 3.7% for leave-on products.
The EU COSing Database lists "perfuming" as a function for this ingredient. This is because of it's surfactant property; it helps dissolve and evenly disperse fragrance in a formula to keep the scent uniform. This ingredient doesn't have a scent on its own.
Learn more about Lauramine OxideSalicylic 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, itβs 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 AcidWater. 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
