What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Vp/Va Copolymer
Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Alcohol Denat., Vp/Va Copolymer, Octylacrylamide/Acrylates/Butylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Panthenol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Aminomethyl Propanol, Potassium Dimethicone PEG-7 Panthenyl Phosphate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Sarcosinate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl Pg-Propyl Dimethicone
Water, Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl Pg-Propyl Dimethicone, Avocado Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Sodium Benzoate, PEG-12 Allyl Ether, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Potassium Dimethicone PEG-7 Panthenyl Phosphate, Sodium Sarcosinate, Tetrasodium EDTA
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 AcidPotassium Dimethicone PEG-7 Panthenyl Phosphate is a type of silicone.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWe don't have a description for Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids yet.
We don't have a description for Sodium Sarcosinate yet.
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.
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
