What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingParfum
MaskingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Glycol Distearate
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingDimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate
EmollientSteareth-4
EmulsifyingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingPolyquaternium-7
Butylene Glycol
HumectantLinalool
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingMagnesium Nitrate
Citronellol
PerfumingPhytantriol
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventPPG-33-Buteth-45
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMagnesium Chloride
Methylisothiazolinone
PreservativeCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantHydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingWater, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Parfum, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Panthenol, Polyquaternium-10, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Disodium EDTA, Glycol Distearate, Citric Acid, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, Steareth-4, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Polyquaternium-7, Butylene Glycol, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Geraniol, Magnesium Nitrate, Citronellol, Phytantriol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Isopropyl Alcohol, PPG-33-Buteth-45, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 17200, Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract, Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingKeratin Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingPisum Sativum Peptide
Skin ConditioningCetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone PEG-8 Succinate
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Keratin Amino Acids, Citric Acid, Pisum Sativum Peptide, Cetyl Triethylmonium Dimethicone PEG-8 Succinate, Panthenol, PEG-150 Distearate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Chloride, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.
That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.
This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.
Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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 ParfumPEG-150 Distearate is a hardworking ingredient that is usually found at the end of a lot of cleansers whose main job is to act as a micellar thickening agent for surfactant-based cleansers.
It works by physically linking up surfactant micelles already in a formula to bump up viscosity and gives products a pourable-but-not-runny body.
Safety-wise, it's been found safe in cosmetics with minimal skin irritation and no evidence of toxicity.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe; it's a diester of stearic acid (C18) that falls into the C11-24 range that the Malassezia yeast feeds on. In vitro studies have also shown the Malassezia can metabolize PEG stearates by cleaving the ester bond to release the fatty acid.
Learn more about PEG-150 DistearateChances 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 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 IsethionateSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier. It is a surfactant derived from sarcosine, and a common source is coconut oil.
As a surfactant, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate helps lift dirts, oil, and other molecules to be washed away. In leave-on products, this ingredient is used as an emulsifier. Emulsifier help prevent ingredients such as oils and waters from separating.
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is also commonly found as a foaming agent in shampoo, toothpaste, and shaving foam. It is amphiphilic, meaning it loves both water and fats.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl SarcosinateWater. 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