What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Zinc Pyrithione 1%
Antiseborrhoeic
Sodium Xylenesulfonate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide
BufferingZinc Carbonate
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Blue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Pyrithione 1%, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Water, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide, Zinc Carbonate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, CI 19140, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, CI 17200, Parfum, Blue 1 Lake
Zinc Pyrithione 1%
Antiseborrhoeic
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingPoloxamer 407
EmulsifyingLaureth-23
Cleansing
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
PPG-9
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
PEG-4
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMethylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Zinc Pyrithione 1%, Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dimethiconol, Parfum, Carbomer, Dimethicone, DMDM Hydantoin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Zinc Sulfate, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Poloxamer 407, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, PPG-9, Butylene Glycol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, PEG-4, Xanthan Gum, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeThis 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 ChlorideParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateWater. 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 WaterZinc Pyrithione is a preservative. It inhibits the multiplying of fungal and bacterial cells.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in Malassezia treatments. In the US, this ingredient is most common in anti-dandruff shampoos. However, the European Union has prohibited the use of this ingredient starting in 2022.
