What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Allantoin, PEG-150 Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caprylyl Glycol, CI 42090, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Abrasive
Isomalt
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Sodium Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Squalane, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Isomalt, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Oligopeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinChances 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 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 HydroxideSodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateSodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a surfactant, cleansing agent, and foaming agent. You'll find it in a wide range of products from shampoos to face cleansers.
It:
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has assessed it in 1983, 2002, and 2005 and found it to be safe in formulations at low concentrations.
SLS is a well-documented skin irritant at higher concentrations or with prolonged exposure. It's actually the gold standard positive control used in dermatological patch testing, meaning doctors use it because they know it will cause a reaction in people.
In one large study of 43,000 patiences tested with 0.25% SLS, about 22% showed some level of reactivity. It increases transepidermal water loss that disrupts your outermost layer of skin.
Face cleansers often pair this ingredient with mild co-surfactants like Cocamidopropyl Betaine to buffer its harshness.
Just so you know, SLS does not trigger true allergic contact dermatitis. This just means it can irritate your skin but doesn't cause your immune system to develop a lasting allergy to it.
Despite internet rumors, SLS is not considered a carcinogen by any major regulatory body.
Learn more about Sodium Lauryl SulfateWater. 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
