Ellana Mineral Cosmetics Gentle Low pH Gel Cleanser Versus Ellana Mineral Cosmetics Gentle Milky Oil Cleanser & Makeup Remover
This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin.
This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Lactate
BufferingSodium Gluconate
ChelatingPropanediol
SolventPicea Abies Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningOlive Glycerides
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingDisodium EDTA
ChelatingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Propanediol, Picea Abies Extract, PEG-150 Distearate, Decyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Allantoin, Olive Glycerides, Ceramide NP, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-75 Stearate
SurfactantCeteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningOlive Glycerides
EmulsifyingCalophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
AntimicrobialCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-75 Stearate, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Olive Glycerides, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Propylene Glycol, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinOlive Glycerides isn't fungal acne safe.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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