What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialSodium Chloride
MaskingTetrasodium EDTA
Magnesium Nitrate
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeWater
Skin ConditioningCocamide DEA
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingAmmonium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingAcrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingSalicylic Acid
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicParfum
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Magnesium Chloride
Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Magnesium Nitrate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Water, Cocamide DEA, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Panthenol, PEG-150 Distearate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Magnesium Chloride
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingWater
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentGlycerin
HumectantGlycolic Acid 3.5%
BufferingCocamide DEA
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingDimethylaminoethanol Tartrate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingAcrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Disodium EDTA
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingSodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid 3.5%, Cocamide DEA, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Dimethylaminoethanol Tartrate, Niacinamide, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Panthenol, Polyquaternium-7, Disodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Benzoic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for Acrylates Crosspolymer-4 yet.
Cocamide DEA is a coconut-derived cleansing agent that creates rich foam and helps to thicken the consistency of cleansing products.
This ingredient effectively removes dirt and oil while helping to stabilize formulations, making it a common addition to shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers.
It has become less popular in recent formulations due to potential irritation in sensitive skin types and concerns about trace amounts of diethanolamine (DEA), which can potentially form nitrosamines.
While still considered safe at regulated concentrations, many manufacturers now opt for gentler alternatives like cocamidopropyl betaine or other surfactants that offer similar benefits with fewer potential drawbacks.
Learn more about Cocamide DEACocamidopropyl 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 BetaineDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinMethylchloroisothiazolinone, or MCI, is a synthetic preservative used to protect against the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi in water-based products.
MCI is commonly combined with methylisothiazolinone (MI) in a 3:1 ratio.
This ingredient is safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-sensitizing and concentrations must not exceed 7.5 ppm in leave-on products / 15 ppm in rinse-off products.
Unfortunately, this ingredient has a well-documented sensitization story. Studies spanning several decades have shown this ingredient + MI to cause skin irritation and allergies.
The use of this ingredient varies around the world:
This just means this ingredient is most likely non-sensitizing in rinse-off products unless you've been diagnosed with a contact allergy to isothiazolinones.
Learn more about MethylchloroisothiazolinoneMI is a preservative and known skin irritant. In the past, MI was used for its ability to prevent bacteria, yeast, and fungi growth in low doses.
Nowadays, you'll most likely see MI combined with Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI).
Since then, numerous studies have shown this ingredient to cause contact dermatitis, or skin irritation.
The use of this ingredient varies around the world:
Learn more about MethylisothiazolinonePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier. It is a surfactant derived from sarcosine, and a common source is coconut oil.
As a surfactant, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate helps lift dirts, oil, and other molecules to be washed away. In leave-on products, this ingredient is used as an emulsifier. Emulsifier help prevent ingredients such as oils and waters from separating.
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is also commonly found as a foaming agent in shampoo, toothpaste, and shaving foam. It is amphiphilic, meaning it loves both water and fats.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl SarcosinateTetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
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