First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser Versus La Mer The Cleansing Foam
Updated on July 02, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 27 ingredients
La Mer The Cleansing Foam 54 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 27 ingredients
La Mer The Cleansing Foam 54 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Sodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from the fatty acids of coconut oil. It is a surfactant and helps with cleansing the skin.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
5 Benefits
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Antioxidant 4 Benefits May cause irritation
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate isn't fungal acne safe.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate is a surfactant and helps cleanse skin. It is created from the fatty acids of coconut oil.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.
This ingredient is a semi-synthetic polymer created from cellulose. In case you need a refresher, cellulose is the main component of plant cell walls.
Coco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Glyceryl Oleate is a fragrance and isn't fungal acne safe.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
Tetrasodium 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.
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Coconut Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Stearyl Alcohol, Allantoin, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium PCA, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Maltodextrin, Tetrasodium EDTA
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.
Myristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Behenic Acid is a fatty acid and has moisturizing properties.
Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid found in our skin. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It is a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
This gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.
Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Lauric Acid is a fatty acid or lipid. About half of fatty acids in coconut oil is lauric acid.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.
Algae Extract is derived from Algae. Algae is an informal term for a group of aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize. It is estimated there are at least 30,000 types of Algae.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Sesame oil comes from sesame seeds. Sesame oil is rich in fatty acids and Vitamin E.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Helianthus Annuus Seedcake is an exfoliant and isn't fungal acne safe.
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal comes from the Sweet Almond tree. This sweet almond seed meal is the residue from expressing almond oil.
Oil EU Allergen
This oil is derived from the leaves of Eucalyptus Globulus, a type of Eucalyptus tree native to Australia.
This is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
Glycine is an amino acid that helps build proteins. It is already present in our skin as our bodies produce them naturally.
Niacin is the other form of B3, with the other being niacinamide. The two have similar skin benefits: reducing inflammation, strengthening the skin barrier, and fading dark spots.
Pearl Powder is made by grinding up fresh-water or salt-water pearls. Pearls are rich in amino-acids, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and antioxidant compounds.
Caffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and anti-aging.
4 Concerns
Sea Salt is an exfoliant. It can be bad for dry skin, cause irritation, worsen eczema, and worsen rosacea.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Sucrose is a natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts. It is the main constituent of white sugar.
Polyquaternium-51 is a polymer salt. It helps hydrate the skin by creating a film on top. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water is an aqueous solution of the steam distillate obtained from the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae.
Trehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
Cellulose is the main component of plant cell walls. It is used as an emulsifier, absorbent, and texture enhancer.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.
Urea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
2 Concerns
Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
2 Concerns
MCI is a preservative and known skin-irritant. It has anti-bacteria anti-fungal properties.
2 Concerns
MI 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.
CI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Ci 15985 is a dye made from petroleum. It is synthetically created and approved by the FDA for use in foods and cosmetics.
Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Water, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Behenic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Algae Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Medicago Sativa Seed Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Glycine, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Succinate, Niacin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder, Quartz Powder, Nephrite Powder, Pearl Powder, Caffeine, Sea Salt, Humic Acids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sucrose, Tourmaline, Macrocystis Pyrifera Protein, Polyquaternium-51, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Trehalose, Cellulose, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium PCA, Peg-3 Distearate, Urea, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Linalool, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 19140, CI 15985, CI 42090, CI 61570
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinStearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.
As an emollient, stearic acid helps soften skin. It aids the skin's protective barrier by preventing water loss. It also provides a gentle cleansing effect without stripping away natural oils.
Stearic acid may also be used to enhance the texture of products. It can add volume and stabilize ingredients such as water and oil. This can help water and oil ingredients from separating.
Sources of stearic acid include animal or vegetable fats/oils such as coconut or shea. It can be naturally found in butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, vegetable fats, and animal tallow.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
Sodium PCA is a has conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCADisodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 27 ingredients
La Mer The Cleansing Foam 54 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser 27 ingredients
La Mer The Cleansing Foam 54 ingredients
TaylorForman_1
Best Cleanser I have ever come accross
I have gone through many cleansers. This is by far the best I have come accross.
