What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-7
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
Emulsifying
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Polyquaternium-7, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, CI 19140, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Lauryl Betaine
CleansingPPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Acrylates Copolymer
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-7
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantExtracts
CI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Lauryl Betaine, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Parfum, Propanediol, Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Hydroxide, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Chloride, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Coco-Glucoside, Niacinamide, Glycol Distearate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzoic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, CI 14700, CI 17200, Extracts, CI 60730
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AcidGlycerin (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 ParfumPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate is an emulsifier, thickener, and mild conditioner.
It's made by esterifying and pentaerythritol with stearic acid, and then attaching 150 units of ethylene oxide to make it water-friendly.
This structure lets it bridge oil and water to prevent ingredients from separating and keep formulas stable. It is also the reason it gives cosmetics a creamy feel without the greasiness.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be well-tolerated. Human repeated patch testing on the undiluted version has come back negative for irritation and sensitization. On top of that, its large molecule size makes skin penetration unlikely.
Usage concentration ranges from 5% in rinse-off to 1.8% in leave-on formulas.
Because this ingredient is derived from stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl TetrastearatePolyquaternium-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.
We don't have a description for PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide yet.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium 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 SulfonateChances 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 ChlorideTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Water. 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
