What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pelargonium Graveolens Extract
Masking
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lactate, Decyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium PCA, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Pentylene Glycol, Decylene Glycol, Bisabolol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether
SolventCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingMethyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether
SolventHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Malic Acid
Buffering
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Magnesium Silicate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Malic Acid, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Ethyl Macadamiate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Decylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCitric 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 BetaineWe don't have a description for Decylene Glycol yet.
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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
