What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Bentonite
Absorbent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract
Antimicrobial
Trisodium EDTA
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propylene Glycol, Kaolin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Bentonite, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Salicylic Acid, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lactic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Trisodium EDTA, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol Laurate
Skin ConditioningPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Dextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Propylene Glycol Laurate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Chlorphenesin, Dextrin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl 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 BetaineEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Salicylic 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 AcidChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
