What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate
CleansingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Phytate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Coco-Sulfate
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingInulin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantWater, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Inulin, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Panthenol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract is is derived from colloidal oatmeal. Besides being a healthy breakfast, oats have many benefits in skincare too.
This ingredient helps sooth, hydrate, and protect the skin. The starches in colloidal oatmeal are able to bind water, keeping the skin hydrated.
The cellulose and fiber in colloidal oatmeal help reduce inflammation. This can also help the skin feel softer.
Colloidal Oatmeal is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect our skin from free-radical damage.
Oatmeal also contains beneficial compounds:
This ingredient is created by mixing grounded oatmeal and a liquid base.
Learn more about Avena Sativa Kernel ExtractCitric 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-GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Oleate is the ester of glycerin and oleic acid. This ingredient is mainly an emollient and emulsifier.
Emollients soften and hydrate the skin by creating a thin film on top to trap in moisture. As an emulsifier, glyceryl oleate helps stabilize formulations by preventing ingredients such as oil and water from separating. According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps helps thicken water-in-oil formulations, shower gels, and hair shampoos.
In some products, this ingredient may be used as a fragrance / perfuming ingredient. The scent of this ingredient is described to be "waxy".
Glyceryl oleate is created from oils rich in oleic acid, such as peanut oil and olive oil.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Glyceryl OleateThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChloridePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateWater. 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