What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCitrus Limon Fruit Oil
AstringentSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSalicylic Acid
MaskingLauric Acid
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantSalix Alba Bark Water
Astringent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Glycol Distearate
EmollientMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Myristic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Ethyl Hexanediol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Citrus Limon Fruit Oil, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 80, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid, Lauric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Salix Alba Bark Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Glycol Distearate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Lactate
BufferingCellulose
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialLactose
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
BufferingBisabolol
AntioxidantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantChamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantJojoba Esters
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDecylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lactate, Cellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Chlorphenesin, Lactose, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Bisabolol, CI 77492, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, CI 77491, Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 19140, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Ascorbyl Palmitate, CI 77891, Decylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 16035
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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