What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Dextran
Citric Acid
Buffering
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Surfactin
CleansingLinalool
Perfuming
Sodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Dextran, Citric Acid, Isopentyldiol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Surfactin, Linalool, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCrataegus Monogyna Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientSalicylic Acid
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
CleansingPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Butylene Glycol, Sucrose, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Crataegus Monogyna Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Algae Extract, Salicylic Acid, Caffeine, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Capryloyl Glycine, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinChances 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 ChlorideThis gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.
According to the manufacturer, it is soluble in water and has resistance to hard water, acid, and alkali.
Due to its coconut base, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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
