What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialPropanediol
Solvent
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Water, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Coco-Glucoside, Glycol Distearate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Oleate, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Propanediol, Triethanolamine, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Proline, Hydroxyproline, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Phytate
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Cocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propanediol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Cocamide DEA, Salicylic Acid, Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Niacinamide, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum
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 AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl Oleate is the monoester of glycerin and oleic acid. It is a skin-conditioning emollient that also helps form emulsions.
What makes glyceryl oleate special is its "re-fatting" effect.
When you wash your hair and skin with a surfactant-based cleanser, the surfactants grab onto everything. This includes your skin's natural lipids, or the fats that live in your skin barrier and sebum. Once you rinse these surfactants away, it leaves your skin feeling tight, dry, and clean (in a not-good way).
Re-fatting is essentially putting some of these lipids back. Glyceryl oleate deposits a thin layer of emollient lipids back on the skin or hair surface reduce some of the barrier damage.
Also, glyceryl oleate isn't a foreign molecule to your skin. It's chemically identical to something your skin already produces and manages naturally. This is why it tends to be well-tolerated with low risk of irritation.
Typical use levels range from 0.5-5%.
Glyceryl Oleate has a function of "perfuming" in the CosIng database. This just means that the ingredient has some scent character that can contribute to the product's overall smell.
The scent of this ingredient is described as "waxy".
As an ester of oleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. This is because oleic acid falls into the carbon-chain length that Malassezia can use as a substrate.
Learn more about Glyceryl OleatePEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate is a synthetic, water-soluble surfactant and emulsifier.
It's a "superfatting" agent that helps replenish some of your skin's oils after they're stripped away by other surfactants.
This is why "gentle" and "moisturizing" cleansers feel less stripping than basic ones.
Typical concentrations range from 1-10% and it has a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe at concentrations up to 10% in leave-on products.
Dermal application tests at 50% also did not produce irritation in two studies.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe and in vitro studies have shown Malassezia can metabolize it.
Learn more about PEG-7 Glyceryl CocoatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 IsethionateWater. 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
