What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningLauryl Lactyl Lactate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
C13-15 Alkane
SolventAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningPisum Sativum Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Propanediol, Glycerin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Lauryl Lactyl Lactate, Panthenol, C13-15 Alkane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Algae Extract, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Phytate, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Pisum Sativum Seed Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingInulin
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Polyquaternium-7
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Argan Oil Glycereth-8 Esters
Cleansing
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Inulin, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-7, Potassium Sorbate, Saccharide Isomerate, Argan Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Citrate, Hexyl Cinnamal
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 AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPotassium 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 SorbateWater. 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
