What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Benzalkonium Chloride 0.1%
Antimicrobial
Sodium Tallowate
Cleansing
Sodium Palmate
CleansingSodium Cocoate
Cleansing
Sodium Palm Kernelate
CleansingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Palm Acid
Cleansing
Palm Kernel Acid
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Tallow Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
Masking
PEG-6 Methyl Ether
SolventPentasodium Pentetate
Tetrasodium Etidronate
Emulsion StabilisingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantBenzalkonium Chloride 0.1%, Sodium Tallowate, Sodium Palmate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Water, Glycerin, Coconut Acid, Palm Acid, Palm Kernel Acid, Stearic Acid, Tallow Acid, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, PEG-6 Methyl Ether, Pentasodium Pentetate, Tetrasodium Etidronate, CI 19140, Titanium Dioxide, Alcohol, CI 15985, CI 14700
Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Oleate
CleansingSodium Stearate
CleansingWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Isethionate
CleansingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Laurate
CleansingParfum
Masking
Benzalkonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingTetrasodium Etidronate
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
Kaolin
Abrasive
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Oleate, Sodium Stearate, Water, Sodium Isethionate, Lauric Acid, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Laurate, Parfum, Benzalkonium Chloride, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Kaolin, Titanium Dioxide, CI 42090, CI 19140
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzalkonium Chloride (aka BAC) is a preservative that has been around since the 1930's. It is also a surfactant that gives it mild cleansing and antistatic properties.
BAC works because it carries a positive electrical charge that attract the negative charge of microbe cells (like a magnet). Once BAC sticks to a microbe, it breaks the microbe cell's outer wall and scrambles its proteins to kill it.
The maximum usage percentage for this ingredient is 0.1% in both the EU and Chinese cosmetic regulations.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be a safe antimicrobial agent in concentrations up to 0.1% and it is permitted up to 3% in rinse off hair products.
BAC can be irritating at higher concentrations but a true allergy to it is pretty rare. Be sure to patch test if you have a damaged skin barrier or just sensitive skin.
Because it's a cation, it is incompatible with anionic surfactants like SLS (they neutralize each other).
Learn more about Benzalkonium ChlorideCI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140Parfum 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 ParfumChances 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 ChlorideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWe don't have a description for Tetrasodium Etidronate yet.
Titanium dioxide is a mineral UV filter widely used in sunscreens and cosmetics.
It is one of only two UV filters officially classified as “mineral” by regulatory agencies, the other being zinc oxide.
Titanium dioxide provides broad-spectrum protection mostly in the UVB and UVAII range, with some protection in the UVAI range.
While its UVA protection isn’t as strong as zinc oxide’s, the difference is minor.
A common myth is that mineral UV filters reflect UV light. However, modern research shows titanium dioxide absorbs UV radiation like chemical filters (~95% absorption & 5% reflection).
Thanks to its non-irritating nature, titanium dioxide is suitable for sensitive, acne-prone, or redness-prone skin. It is unlikely to cause "eye sting" like other sunscreen ingredients.
A major drawback of this ingredient is its white cast and thick texture. This is why mineral sunscreens often leave a white cast and are less cosmetically elegant than chemical/hybrid sunscreens.
To improve white cast and spreadability, micronized or nano-sized titanium dioxide is often used.
There are ongoing concerns surrounding nano-titanium oxide's impact on marine ecosystems.
There is no conclusive evidence that any form of titanium oxide (or any other sunscreen ingredients) will cause harm to marine ecosystems or coral reefs. The science is still developing but many consumers are keeping a close eye on this issue.
Please note, many destinations have reef-safety sunscreen rules. For instance, the U.S. Virgin Islands advises all visitors to use non-nano mineral sunscreens.
Nano mineral sunscreens once raised safety concerns about absorption into skin.
Extensive research has shown that they do not penetrate healthy or damaged skin; they remain safely on the surface and the top layer of dead skin (stratum corneum).
You'll likely find titanium dioxide bundled with alumina, silica, or dimethicone. These ingredients help make titanium dioxide highly photostable; this prevents it from interacting with other formula components under UV light.
Learn more about Titanium DioxideWater. 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
