What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates Copolymer
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPlumeria Obtusa Leaf Cell Extract
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract
AstringentSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Bioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentPrunus Yedoensis Flower Extract
HumectantAgastache Rugosa Extract
Antimicrobial
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
4-Terpineol
Masking
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauric Acid, Glycol Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Parfum, Tetrasodium EDTA, BHT, Salicylic Acid, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Cucumis Sativus Seed Extract, Plumeria Obtusa Leaf Cell Extract, Butylene Glycol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Bioflavonoids, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Prunus Yedoensis Flower Extract, Agastache Rugosa Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, 4-Terpineol, Papain, Bisabolol
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 GlycerinGlycol Stearate comes from stearic acid and ethylene glycol.
It is a creamy wax used to stabilize ingredients as an emulsifier. Glycol stearate also contains emollient properties. Emollients sit on top of the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol StearateMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSalicylic 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 AcidStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic 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
