What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sodium Coco-Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Brassica Alcohol
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingAzadirachta Indica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Alpha-Terpinene
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Pinene
Masking
Terpineol
Masking
Terpinolene
Perfuming
Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Water, Decyl Glucoside, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Coconut Acid, Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Brassica Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Azadirachta Indica Seed Oil, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Alpha-Terpinene, Limonene, Pinene, Terpineol, Terpinolene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateThis ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic Acid
