What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSalicylic Acid
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitrus Nobilis Peel Extract
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingRibes Nigrum Leaf Extract
PerfumingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantSaccharomyces Ferment
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingDextrin
AbsorbentChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningMentha Suaveolens Leaf Extract
AstringentTaraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Extract
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Chloride, Glyceryl Stearate, Salicylic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract, Butylene Glycol, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Stem Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Dextrin, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Mentha Suaveolens Leaf Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
Benzoyl Peroxide 4%
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingCoco-Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-100 Stearate
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePropanediol
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDiethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzoyl Peroxide 4%, Water, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Trideceth-6, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Phytosphingosine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateChances 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 ChlorideThis gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.
According to the manufacturer, it is soluble in water and has resistance to hard water, acid, and alkali.
Due to its coconut base, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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