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
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Kaolin
Abrasive
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Oligopeptide-68
Bleaching
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Sodium Oleate
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyquaternium-7
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Decyl Glucoside, Kaolin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Oligopeptide-68, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Allantoin, Sodium PCA, PCA, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Oleate, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Sodium Lactate, Gluconolactone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-7
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateThis ingredient is a semi-synthetic polymer created from cellulose. In case you need a refresher, cellulose is the main component of plant cell walls.
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose has many uses:
- emulsifier
- create a gel-like texture
- boost foam
Lauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSodium 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 BenzoateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
