What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingC10-16 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aesculus Hippocastanum Bark Extract
AstringentOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPlantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialBetula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningO-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Water, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Aesculus Hippocastanum Bark Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Alcohol Denat.
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingBoswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Water, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Chloride, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Zinc PCA, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Maltodextrin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.This ingredient is a mild surfactant made by sticking glucose onto a blend of fatty acids.
It does two jobs because it has a sugar head that loves water and a fatty tail that loves oil:
Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.
Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.
Learn more about Caprylyl/Capryl GlucosideCitric 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 AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract comes from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera plant.
Moringa seeds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and skin hydrating properties. These seeds are rich in oils, proteins, monounsaturated fats, and tocopherols.
As an emollient, moringa seed oil helps trap moisture in the skin by creating a film on top. This helps keep your skin hydrated and soft.
Many compounds in moringa seed oil are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. These compounds include Vitamin E. , catechins, ferulic acid, and more.
Another compound found in Moringa seed oil is oleic acid.
Moringa trees are native to the Himalayan mountains.
Learn more about Moringa Oleifera Seed ExtractPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
