What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLauric Acid
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPalmitic Acid
EmollientGlycol Distearate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingParfum
MaskingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Niacinamide
SmoothingPetrolatum
EmollientCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningMilk
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCoconut Acid
CleansingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBHT
AntioxidantTetrasodium EDTA
Etidronic Acid
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePiroctone Olamine
PreservativeCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Niacinamide, Petrolatum, Ceramide Ng, Milk, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Coconut Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Decylene Glycol, BHT, Tetrasodium EDTA, Etidronic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Piroctone Olamine, CI 15985, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
EmollientZinc Chloride
AntimicrobialGlycol Distearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCocamide Methyl Mea
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingDEA-Laureth Sulfate
CleansingPEG-75
HumectantPEG-9m
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-20m
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-7
Polyquaternium-50
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Water, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Zinc Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, Ceramide Ng, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocamide Methyl Mea, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, DEA-Laureth Sulfate, PEG-75, PEG-9m, PEG-20m, Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-50, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceramide NG is a type of Ceramide. The NG stands for a sphinganine base.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.
Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A stronger barrier helps the skin look more firm and hydrated. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.
If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.
Read more about other common types of ceramides here:
Ceramide AP
Ceramide EOP
Ceramide NP
Cocamidopropyl 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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidParfum 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 ParfumPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium 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