What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Talc
AbrasiveZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentGlycylglycine
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentZinc Lauroyl Aspartate
Dextrin
AbsorbentTea-Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingTrehalose
HumectantSodium Taurine Cocoyl Methyltaurate
CleansingMyristyl Myristate
EmollientHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingWater
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantAlgin
MaskingPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningPapain
Skin ConditioningProtease
ExfoliatingLipase
Skin ConditioningZinc Phosphate
PEG-8 Phosphate
Skin ProtectingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTalc, Zea Mays Starch, Glycylglycine, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Zinc Lauroyl Aspartate, Dextrin, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Trehalose, Sodium Taurine Cocoyl Methyltaurate, Myristyl Myristate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Water, Sorbitol, Algin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Polyquaternium-51, Papain, Protease, Lipase, Zinc Phosphate, PEG-8 Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Protease is an enzyme that works as a gentle exfoliant by mimicking something your skin already does naturally.
Your skin uses proteolytic enzymes to carry out desquamation; this is the process of shedding dead skin cells from the stratum corneum.
In skincare, proteases act as biological catalysts that mimic this natural desquamation process. You can think of it as giving your skin's own renewal system a nudge.
By breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together, proteases help accelerate cell turnover to:
One reason they're becoming a popular AHA alternative is because proteases are considered effective while also being well-tolerated on skin. Because they work at a protein level rather than by lowering the skin pH, they can be a good option for those sensitive to AHAs.
Available in vitro and in vivo studies show positive exfoliant results but clinical (human) trials specifically on enzymatic exfoliation are still limited at this time.
Just one thing worth noting: temperature, pH, and stabilization are important factors that affect enzyme activity. The formulation quality definitely matters with this ingredient.
This ingredient can be either microbial sourced or plant-derived (papain from papaya, bromelain from pineapple).
Learn more about ProteaseSorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolWater. 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 WaterZea Mays Starch is starch made from corn. You might know this as cornstarch . It is used to thicken a product. It can replace talc as an absorbent.
The pH of cornstarch is 5.92.
Cornstarch is a common food ingredient used to thicken soups or to make corn syrup.
Learn more about Zea Mays StarchThis ingredient is the simplest peptide derived from glycine. It has hair and skin conditioning properties.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient is also used as a pH adjuster and is used as a starting template for creating more complex peptides.
It works best as a pH adjuster within a range of 7.5 - 8.9.
Learn more about Glycylglycine