What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingSorbitol
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantMyristic Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingThermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPEG-400
Emulsion StabilisingGlycol Distearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBetaine
HumectantPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningBacillus/Folic Acid/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningIllite
AbrasiveLactobacillus/Rice Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
AntioxidantLactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Algae Extract Ferment
Skin ProtectingMontmorillonite
AbsorbentPropanediol
SolventKaolin
AbrasivePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingGlycerin, Stearic Acid, Sorbitol, Water, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, PEG-400, Glycol Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Betaine, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Bacillus/Folic Acid/Soybean Ferment Extract, Illite, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Algae Extract Ferment, Montmorillonite, Propanediol, Kaolin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingSalicylic Acid
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingMadecassoside
AntioxidantAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSwertia Japonica Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Isethionate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Dextrin
AbsorbentSodium Benzoate
MaskingCoconut Acid
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Cocoate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Lauryl Glucoside, Salicylic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Panthenol, Gluconolactone, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Swertia Japonica Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Isethionate, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Dextrin, Sodium Benzoate, Coconut Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-7, 1,2-Hexanediol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Decyl Glucoside, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Reviews
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 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinLauric 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. Even though "fungal acne" has the word "acne" in it, they are completely different. Regular acne is driven by a bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes, clogged pores, and excess oil. Fungal acne isn't really acne; it's caused by an overgrowth of a yeast called Malassezia that already lives on everyone's skin. Because one is bacterial and the other is fungal, they respond to different ingredients.
Learn more about Lauric AcidPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate is an amino acid-based surfactant and cleaning agent. This ingredient can be derived from animals or plants. It may also be synthetically created from fatty acids of the coconut and glycine.
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is a gentle surfactant. Surfactants help gather the dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away. It is a mild cleanser and naturally produces foam.
Potassium 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 HydroxideStearic 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 AcidWater. 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