What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sodium Bicarbonate
AbrasiveWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSilica
AbrasiveHydrated Silica
AbrasiveMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingParfum
MaskingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Sulfite
PreservativeMenthoxypropanediol
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingSodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Linalool
PerfumingTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Bicarbonate, Water, Glycerin, Silica, Hydrated Silica, Microcrystalline Cellulose, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Parfum, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Sulfite, Menthoxypropanediol, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Linalool, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSilica
AbrasiveStearic Acid
CleansingPEG-32
HumectantPalmitic Acid
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlycol Distearate
EmollientCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingParfum
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Bicarbonate
AbrasiveOryza Sativa Bran
AbrasiveDisodium EDTA
PEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingBHT
AntioxidantIngredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaSodium Bicarbonate has a more famous name: Baking soda.
In cosmetics, it is used to adjust the acidity. Due to its white crystalline solid form, it can also be an abrasive (exfoliator).
This ingredient is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium BicarbonateChances 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 ChlorideWater. 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