Updated on June 04, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and sensitive skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
COSRX Cica Creamy Foam Cleanser 39 ingredients
Etude House Soon Jung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser 14 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
COSRX Cica Creamy Foam Cleanser 39 ingredients
Etude House Soon Jung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser 14 ingredients
Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Myristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid found in our skin. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It is a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.
Lauric Acid is a fatty acid or lipid. About half of fatty acids in coconut oil is lauric acid.
Potassium 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.
Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
Polyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract comes from lemons. While lemon extract is exfoliating and antimicrobial, it can also cause skin sensitivity.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Oil EU Allergen
This oil is derived from the leaves of Eucalyptus Globulus, a type of Eucalyptus tree native to Australia.
EU Allergen
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract is from the Neem tree. Neem trees originate from India.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract comes from the Holy Basil plant. Holy Basil is native to India.
Curcuma Longa Root Extract is from the spice, turmeric. Besides being a healthy and delicious spice, turmeric also has plenty of skincare benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-microbial properties.
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract comes from the leaves of an herb plant native to Southeast Asia. Centella Asiatica is rich in antioxidants and amino acids. It can help reduce irritation and soothe the skin.
Corallina Officinalis Extract is from the red seaweed, Corallina Officinalis. This seaweed is found all over the world but is most common in the rocky shores of Great Britain and Ireland.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil is the oil expressed from the seeds of Moringa oleifera plant. It is more commonly known as Moringa seed oil.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Sucrose Stearate is derived from stearic acid and sucrose (sugar). It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Centella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
3 Concerns
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
Centella Asiatica Root Extract can help to reduce redness.
Asiatic Acid is a major component of Centella Asiatica Extract. It has wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
Asiaticoside comes from the super popular skin-soothing ingredient, Centella asiatica. It is one of four active compounds found in the extract of Centella Asiatica.
Madecassic Acid is a major component of Centella Asiatica Extract. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Helps reduce irritation
Madecassoside comes from the super popular skin-soothing ingredient, Centella asiatica. It is one of four active compounds found in the extract of Centella Asiatica.
Water, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyquaternium-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Nobilis Oil, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pinus Palustris Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Stearate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside
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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Lauryl Glucoside sugar- and lipid-based cleansing agent. It is created from glucose and lauryl alcohol.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It can be found naturally in our skin and hair.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
Glyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid, a fatty acid from coconut.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Helps reduce irritation
Madecassoside comes from the super popular skin-soothing ingredient, Centella asiatica. It is one of four active compounds found in the extract of Centella Asiatica.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Antioxidant 4 Benefits May cause irritation
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
5 Benefits
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Madecassoside comes from the super popular skin-soothing ingredient, Centella asiatica. It is one of four active compounds found in the extract of Centella Asiatica.
Madecassoside has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hydrating properties. It contains fatty acids, amino acids, beta-carotene, and phytochemicals.
One study found using Madecassoside with ascorbic acid helped reduce the signs of aging and improved skin hydration.
Learn more about MadecassosideIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
COSRX Cica Creamy Foam Cleanser 39 ingredients
Etude House Soon Jung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser 14 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
COSRX Cica Creamy Foam Cleanser 39 ingredients
Etude House Soon Jung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser 14 ingredients
Laila
How is it for sensitive skin and has citric acid?
it's soo drying, makes my skin tight after cleansing and gives an uncomfortable itchin feeling...
How is it for sensitive skin and has citric acid?
it's soo drying, makes my skin tight after cleansing and gives an uncomfortable itchin feeling on my cheeks.
i need to stop trusting these 'viral' products on TikTok.
tbh cosrx low ph cleanser is away better than this one.
Taynara Motta
Might be my favorite FA safe cleanser
I have combo skin and this cleanser works really well for me, it cleans my face deeply but it doesn't dry it...
Might be my favorite FA safe cleanser
I have combo skin and this cleanser works really well for me, it cleans my face deeply but it doesn't dry it out nor makes my skin feel tight.
