What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Nardus Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Cymbopogon Nardus Oil, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Citric Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Disodium EDTA, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Squalane
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Propanediol, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Niacinamide, Glycolic Acid, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenoxyethanol
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 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.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateWe don't have a description for Sodium Cocoamphoacetate yet.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
