What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantSwertia Japonica Extract
Skin ConditioningCyperus Esculentus Tuber Extract
Skin ProtectingSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCoconut Acid
CleansingSodium Isethionate
CleansingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopherol, Swertia Japonica Extract, Cyperus Esculentus Tuber Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Coconut Acid, Sodium Isethionate
Water
Skin ConditioningMaris Aqua
HumectantCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Medica Peel Oil
Eucalyptus Globulus Oil
Cucurbita Pepo
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientPersea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientMangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Maris Aqua, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Medica Peel Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Oil, Cucurbita Pepo, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Benzoate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract
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 ButterThis ingredient is a mild surfactant made by sticking glucose onto a blend of fatty acids.
It does two jobs because it has a sugar head that loves water and a fatty tail that loves oil:
Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.
Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.
Learn more about Caprylyl/Capryl GlucosideCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinThis 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 ChlorideSodium 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