This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.
This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Phragmites Communis Extract
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Triethanolamine
BufferingWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Lauryl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Isopentyldiol, Phragmites Communis Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Sodium PCA, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Triethanolamine
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
