What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingPEG-400
Emulsion StabilisingWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Aspartate
CleansingBHT
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Glyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Lauric Acid
CleansingMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantPEG-32
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyquaternium-7
Polyquaternium-52
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Decyl Glucoside, PEG-400, Water, Sodium Lauroyl Aspartate, BHT, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Lauric Acid, Methylisothiazolinone, Mica, PEG-32, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-52, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Stearic Acid, Titanium Dioxide
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantBehenic Acid
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
EmollientLauric Acid
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSucrose
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantPEG-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingUrea
BufferingPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningTrisodium EDTA
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Behenic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Caffeine, Butylene Glycol, Sucrose, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, PEG-3 Distearate, Urea, Polyquaternium-51, Trisodium EDTA, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycerinLauric 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 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.
Stearic 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