What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Dextrin
AbsorbentChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Suaveolens Leaf Extract
AstringentTaraxacum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Extract
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
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
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-32
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Bentonite
Absorbent
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Myristica Fragrans Kernel Oil
Masking
Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil
Masking
Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract
Masking
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningFreesia Refracta Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Versicolor Extract
EmollientLeontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningNarcissus Pseudo-Narcissus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRose Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-75
HumectantPolyquaternium-7
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, PEG-32, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Bentonite, Potassium Cocoate, Butylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Kaolin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Myristica Fragrans Kernel Oil, Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Freesia Refracta Extract, Iris Versicolor Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus Flower Extract, Rose Extract, PEG-75, Polyquaternium-7, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Silk, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
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 GlycolCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is the oil from the bergamot orange and is primarily used as a fragrance. It has a "fresh" and "bright orange" scent.
The main aroma compounds found in this ingredient are limonene (~27-52%), linalool (~2-22%), and linalyl acetate (~27-40%). These are known EU fragrance allergens.
The term '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.
When used topically, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is a photosensitizer due to the furanocoumarin content. Furanocoumarins absorb UV-A and cause phytophotodermatitis; this can look like redness, blistering, and lasting brown pigmentation on sun-exposed skin.
Due to this, this ingredient is capped at 0.4% in leave-on products applied to sun exposed skin.
Many modern formulas used a "furanocoumarin-free" version that sidesteps the phototoxicity issue, but still contains the fragrance allergens.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit OilEthylhexylglycerin 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 StearateLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil is also known as May Chang essential oil. It is mostly used as a fragrance ingredient and has a bright, sweet, and lemony scent.
The main fragrance compounds in this ingredient are citral (~70-85%) and limonene.
Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), but real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1%.
The main thing worth knowing is that citral is a known EU fragrance allergen so people with known fragrance sensitivities may want to skip it.
Unlike citrus oils, May Chang doesn't contain furocoumarins and therefore isn't phototoxic.
Learn more about Litsea Cubeba Fruit OilPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate is an amino acid-based surfactant and cleaning agent. This ingredient can be derived from animals or plants. It may also be synthetically created from fatty acids of the coconut and glycine.
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is a gentle surfactant. Surfactants help gather the dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away. It is a mild cleanser and naturally produces foam.
Water. 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
