What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningJuglans Regia Shell Powder
Abrasive
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pumice
Abrasive
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Symphytum Officinale Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Water, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Pumice, Lauryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Sodium Chloride, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Dipotassium Phosphate, Caffeine, Glycine Soja Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Sodium Citrate, Alcohol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Symphytum Officinale Root Extract, Limonene
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Lauroyl Taurate
CleansingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Acetum
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
CleansingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Methyltaurate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polyquaternium-7
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride, Water, Sodium Methyl Lauroyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Hydrated Silica, Acetum, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Lauric Acid, Parfum, Sodium Methyltaurate, Potassium Sorbate, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Citrate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinLauryl Glucoside sugar- and lipid-based cleansing agent. It is created from glucose and lauryl alcohol.
This ingredient is a surfactant, making it easier to rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants away.
A British study found lauryl glucoside to cause skin sensitivity for some people. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Other names for this ingredient include "Lauryl Polyglucose", "Lauryl glycoside", and "D-Glucopyranoside".
Learn more about Lauryl GlucosideLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateChances 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 ChlorideSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateTocopherol (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.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
