What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-8
HumectantPolyquaternium-7
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingBambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantSaponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-8, Polyquaternium-7, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Chloride, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 19140, CI 42090, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Styrax Benzoin Gum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Tourmaline
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-7
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
PEG-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Behenic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Palmitic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Styrax Benzoin Gum, Linalool, Limonene, Tourmaline, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-7, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, PEG-3 Distearate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source. Even though "fungal acne" has the word "acne" in it, they are completely different. Regular acne is driven by a bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes, clogged pores, and excess oil. Fungal acne isn't really acne; it's caused by an overgrowth of a yeast called Malassezia that already lives on everyone's skin. Because one is bacterial and the other is fungal, they respond to different ingredients.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid, aka tetradecanoic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in coconut oil and palm oil.
In skincare, it is an:
Research indicates that this ingredient posts a low risk of irritation and sensitization.
Since myristic acid is a C14 fatty acid, it falls within the range that Malassezia can metabolize, and therefore not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPolyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
