What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPEG-400
Emulsion StabilisingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingLauric Acid
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHexylglycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingBHT
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-400, Decyl Glucoside, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Citric Acid, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylglycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialZinc Pyrithione
AntiseborrhoeicPanthenol
Skin ConditioningStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Salicylic Acid
MaskingBisabolol
AntioxidantChamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
MaskingTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingAmylopectin
Sodium Sulfate
Hexadecene
SolventTetradecene
EmollientDextrin
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientSuccinic Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingWater, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Zinc Pyrithione, Panthenol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Salicylic Acid, Bisabolol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Amylopectin, Sodium Sulfate, Hexadecene, Tetradecene, Dextrin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate, Phenoxyethanol, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Succinic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Saccharum Officinarum Extract
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCocamidopropyl 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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