What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Pyrithione 1%
Antiseborrhoeic
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPPG-9
Skin ConditioningZinc Sulfate
AntimicrobialTea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Juice
CleansingZinc Pyrithione 1%, Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Dimethiconol, Citric Acid, Parfum, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Salicylate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PPG-9, Zinc Sulfate, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Juice
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPPG-9
Skin ConditioningTea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
PEG-45m
HumectantCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Mica
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Dimethiconol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Carbomer, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PPG-9, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Cocamide Mea, Disodium EDTA, PEG-45m, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Mica, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
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 BetaineCocos Nucifera Oil is obtained from the kernels of the coconut fruit. In other words, this is coconut oil.
Coconut Oil is rich in fatty acids with lauric acid making up the majority of these. It also contains linoleic acid. Due to this high fatty acid content, coconut oil helps trap moisture and soften skin.
Despite being antibacterial, coconut oil may not be great for acne-prone skin. It is comedogenic and may clog pores. This ingredient may not be safe for malassezia or fungal acne.
Note: Coconut Oil should not replace your sunscreen for UV protection. Studies show it only blocks about 20% of UV.
This oil is non-volatile and has a light scent.
The term '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.
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
This ingredient is derived from guar gum.
It is a conditioning ingredient, meaning it helps soften skin and hair.
Parfum 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 ParfumWe don't have a description for PPG-9 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 BenzoateChances 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.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateWe don't have a description for Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate yet.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
