What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSucrose
Humectant
Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentBrassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantBioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzophenone-9
UV AbsorberDisodium EDTA
Propanediol
Solvent
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Sucrose, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Bioflavonoids, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Chloride, Aminomethyl Propanol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzophenone-9, Disodium EDTA, Propanediol, CI 19140, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, CI 42090, CI 14700, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Coconut Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Avena Sativa Leaf Extract
AstringentWater, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Xylitylglucoside, Propanediol, Coco-Glucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Stearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xylitol, Panthenol, Coconut Alcohol, Citric Acid, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Avena Sativa Leaf 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.
Citric 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 AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate is an emulsifier, thickener, and mild conditioner.
It's made by esterifying and pentaerythritol with stearic acid, and then attaching 150 units of ethylene oxide to make it water-friendly.
This structure lets it bridge oil and water to prevent ingredients from separating and keep formulas stable. It is also the reason it gives cosmetics a creamy feel without the greasiness.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be well-tolerated. Human repeated patch testing on the undiluted version has come back negative for irritation and sensitization. On top of that, its large molecule size makes skin penetration unlikely.
Usage concentration ranges from 5% in rinse-off to 1.8% in leave-on formulas.
Because this ingredient is derived from stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl TetrastearatePotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolChances 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 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
