Garnier Skinactive Soothing Hyaluronic Aloe Cream Cleanser​ Versus Beekman 1802 Micellar Milk Froth Gel to Foam Cleanser
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Glycol Distearate, Triethyl Citrate, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Coco-Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Caprae Lac
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningSodium Glycolate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Emulsifying
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Carbonate
BufferingIron Oxides
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantDextrin
AbsorbentClitoria Ternatea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propanediol, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Acrylates Copolymer, Decyl Glucoside, Caprae Lac, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Lysine, Sodium Glycolate, Sodium Benzoate, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Carbonate, Iron Oxides, CI 77492, Dextrin, Clitoria Ternatea Flower Extract, Silica
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.
After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.
It is also used to make a product more thick.
Learn more about Acrylates CopolymerCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateChances 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
