What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Taurine Laurate
CleansingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Acrylates Copolymer
Volcanic Soil
Skin Conditioning
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Corn Starch Modified
AbsorbentZinc PCA
Humectant
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMenthol
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Fomes Officinalis Extract
Skin ProtectingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Aroma
Methylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Stearate, Lauric Acid, Lauryl Glucoside, Stearic Acid, Sodium Taurine Laurate, Palmitic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Salicylic Acid, Acrylates Copolymer, Volcanic Soil, Charcoal Powder, Corn Starch Modified, Zinc PCA, Cocamide Mea, Sodium Chloride, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Menthol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Fomes Officinalis Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Aroma, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Charcoal powder comes from grounded charcoal. Charcoal can originate from peat, bamboo, coal, wood, coconut shell, or petroleum.
This ingredient has absorbent properties, making it great at absorbing oil.
Glycerin (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 BenzoateWater. 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
