What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Apium Graveolens Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-175 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-10
Polyquaternium-7
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, PEG-175 Diisostearate, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-7, Tocopherol, Benzoic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate
CleansingSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Seed Oil
Perfuming
Polyquaternium-7
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Polyquaternium-4
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Seed Oil, Polyquaternium-7, Gluconolactone, Cetrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-4, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, Water, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Panthenol, Sodium Phytate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Citric 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 AcidCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineGlycerin (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 PanthenolPolyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
