What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingBetaine
HumectantPropanediol
SolventEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentSalicylic Acid
MaskingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentBixa Orellana Seed Extract
MaskingSuccinic Acid
BufferingDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativeMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Betaine, Propanediol, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Salicylic Acid, Maltodextrin, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Succinic Acid, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingZinc PCA
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Trehalose, Lactic Acid, Zinc PCA, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Decyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is below the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinSalix Alba Bark Extract comes from the bark of the white willow tree. The official CosIng listing states this ingredient to have astringent, skin conditioning, soothing, and tonic properties.
Its star compound is salicin, a natural glucoside that is chemically related to salicylic acid. That's why you'll often see it marketed as a "natural BHA alternative" but that's a bit of a stretch.
Your skin can't convert salicin to salicylic acid because it needs specific enzymes that aren't present on the skin's surface. It won't behave like true salicylic acid, especially at the concentrations used in cosmetics.
However, this ingredient has its own perks. It contains flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins that give it proven antioxidant and soothing properties.
An 8-week clinical study found a cream with 2% of this extract improved skin microcirculation, elasticity, and dark circles. This is most likely due to its role in increasing hyaluronic acid synthesis in fibroblasts and improved vascular integrity.
Another study found a topical serum with 0.5% salicin showed improvements in visible signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and texture.
Just be careful if you have a known aspirin/salicylate allergy and be sure to consult with a medical professional about using this ingredient if you do.
Fun fact: Willow Bark extract has been used for thousands of years and ancient civilizations used white willow to help treat pain and fevers.
Learn more about Salix Alba Bark ExtractWater. 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