What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Acrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract
AstringentWater, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Citric Acid, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingGlycine Soja Germ Extract
EmollientGlycine Soja Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Lauroyl Methylaminopropionate
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Water, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Glycine Soja Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Alcohol, Sodium Lauroyl Methylaminopropionate, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, antiâinflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateDisodium 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 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.
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 HydroxideWater. 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
