What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol Laurate
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingC12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPolyquaternium-67
Coconut Acid
CleansingPolyquaternium-22
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCnidium Officinale Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingBambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentSesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Seed Extract
BufferingVigna Radiata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Kernel Extract
Artemisia Capillaris Extract
Hexapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Lauryl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Decyl Glucoside, C12-14 Alketh-12, Salicylic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyquaternium-67, Coconut Acid, Polyquaternium-22, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Isethionate, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Arginine, Citric Acid, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Hexapeptide-1, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCystine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantBetaine
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCoconut Acid
CleansingSodium Carbonate
BufferingPolyquaternium-6
Citric Acid
BufferingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Benzophenone-4
UV AbsorberBHT
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCholesterol
EmollientWater, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Decyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Cystine, Glycine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Phytosphingosine, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Coconut Acid, Sodium Carbonate, Polyquaternium-6, Citric Acid, PEG-150 Distearate, Stearic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Benzophenone-4, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitan Laurate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Cholesterol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCoconut acid is a mixture of fatty acids obtains by hydrolyzing coconut oil and then distilling the fatty acid portion. It works as a cleansing surfactant, emollient, and emulsifier depending on the formulation.
This ingredient is not a single compound but reflects the fatty acid profile of coconut oil itself, which is about 90% saturated.
The dominant fatty acid is lauric acid (44-54%) and then myristic acid (13-19%). There are also small amounts of caprylic, capric, palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
Human testing from CIR has shown no indication this ingredient to be a primary irritant, sensitizer, or phototoxic compound. It's COSMOS-approved for natural and organic products.
Due to the fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Research has confirmed Malassezia can use lauric acid as a food source.
Learn more about Coconut AcidDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumChances 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