What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingCymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLavandula Hybrida Oil
EmollientLinalool
PerfumingLinalyl Acetate
MaskingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingMenthol
MaskingOctanal
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePhoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract
EmollientSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Coco-Glucoside, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil, Disodium EDTA, Ethylene Brassylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Oleate, Hexylene Glycol, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Menthol, Octanal, Phenoxyethanol, Phoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingFulvic Acid
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSalvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingGalactoarabinan
Trehalose
HumectantCoconut Acid
CleansingSorbitol
HumectantCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Phosphate
BufferingRosa Canina Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Arachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantifolia Oil
CleansingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAminopropanol
Myrcene
PerfumingWater, Propanediol, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Fulvic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xylitol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Polysorbate 20, Galactoarabinan, Trehalose, Coconut Acid, Sorbitol, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Aminopropanol, Myrcene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCoco-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-GlucosideEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinLauryl Glucoside sugar- and lipid-based cleansing agent. It is created from glucose and lauryl alcohol.
This ingredient is a surfactant, making it easier to rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants away.
A British study found lauryl glucoside to cause skin sensitivity for some people. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Other names for this ingredient include "Lauryl Polyglucose", "Lauryl glycoside", and "D-Glucopyranoside".
Learn more about Lauryl GlucosideLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil is also known as May Chang essential oil. It is mostly used as a fragrance ingredient and has a bright, sweet, and lemony scent.
The main fragrance compounds in this ingredient are citral (~70-85%) and limonene.
Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), but real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1%.
The main thing worth knowing is that citral is a known EU fragrance allergen so people with known fragrance sensitivities may want to skip it.
Unlike citrus oils, May Chang doesn't contain furocoumarins and therefore isn't phototoxic.
Learn more about Litsea Cubeba Fruit OilPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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