What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-49
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlucose
Humectant
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glycerin, Betaine, Propanediol, Glycol Distearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-49, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Lactobacillus Ferment, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Stearic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Xylitol, Inulin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Maltodextrin, Decyl Glucoside, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lauryl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Glucose
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric 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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
