What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Poloxamer 184
EmulsifyingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Mel
EmollientUrea
Buffering
Fructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycine
Buffering
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Glucuronolactone
Skin ConditioningLidocaine Hcl
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningGlycosphingolipids
EmollientTetrasodium EDTA
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Glycolate
BufferingWater, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Hexylene Glycol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Poloxamer 184, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Ceramide NP, Salicylic Acid, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ng, Glycolic Acid, Propanediol, Sodium PCA, Mel, Urea, Fructose, Glucose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Glycine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Glucuronolactone, Lidocaine Hcl, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sucrose Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Glycosphingolipids, Tetrasodium EDTA, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Glycolate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate is a surfactant and helps cleanse skin. It is created from the fatty acids of coconut oil.
Surfactants help rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants easily from skin. It has a faint fruit-like scent.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPoloxamer 184 is a surfactant and emulsifier made from polyoxyethylene and polyoxypropylene units.
It allows ingredients that don't normally mix (like water and oil) to blend together and stay stable; this makes it easier for cleansers and makeup removers to grab onto dirt, oil, and makeup to be rinsed away more easily.
Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, itβs still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic 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
