What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAmber Powder
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract
Antioxidant
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Salicylic Acid, Potassium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Madecassoside, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Oleanolic Acid
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lauryl Betaine
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPropylene Glycol Laurate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-67
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Sodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Fructan
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Glycerin, Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Lauryl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-67, Betaine, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, Saccharide Isomerate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Panthenol, Fructan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Citrate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Glycolipids, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Glycine, Glutamic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCapryloyl Salicylic Acid comes from salicylic acid, the famous acne-fighting BHA.
It usually goes by a more common name of LHA, or lipohydroxy acid.
Like salicylic acid, this ingredient is a chemical exfoliant that can help break down the oil in your pores and reduce inflammation.
Though studies for LHA do show it to be less effective than salicylic acid. To be fair, salicylic acid is the reigning monarch of acne treatments.
However, a study from 2009 found LHA to be comparable to BPO, making it a good alternative for people with sensitive skin. Another study of 14 patients found a significant decrease in comedones after using LHA.
Another pro of LHA? It is less irritating than salicylic acid due to its large molecule size.
Large molecules cannot penetrate skin as well, so they are gentler on the skin. LHA is much less penetrative than salicylic acid.
An in-vitro study (not done on a living organism) found only 6% of LHA penetrated past the statum corneum compared to 58% of salicylic acid. An in-vivo (done on a living organism) analysis revealed ~17% of LHA was still present in the top layer of skin after 4 days, versus ~9% of salicylic acid.
Interestingly, a study from 2008 found LHA comparable to another famous acid, glycolic acid.
This study found about 10% of LHA is as effective as 20-50% of glycolic acid in treating hyperpigmentation and fine-lines.
Hydroxy acids have been found to stimulate skin protein, lipids, and thermal thickening. This may have anti-aging benefits.
Learn more about Capryloyl Salicylic 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 GlycerinHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
Chances 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 ChlorideWater. 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
