What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Citric Acid, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Cocamidopropylamine Oxide
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Extract
Skin ConditioningVitex Trifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningBerberis Aquifolium Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Zanthoxyloides Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Cocamidopropylamine Oxide, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Laurate, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Menthol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Extract, Vitex Trifolia Extract, Berberis Aquifolium Extract, Zanthoxylum Zanthoxyloides Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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
