What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentVolcanic Ash
AbrasiveAvena Sativa Kernel Meal
AbrasiveSodium Chloride
MaskingAcrylates Copolymer
Glycolic Acid
BufferingArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCoconut Acid
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEpilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantBenzoic Acid
MaskingSorbic Acid
PreservativeWater, Kaolin, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Volcanic Ash, Avena Sativa Kernel Meal, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycolic Acid, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Coconut Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDistearyl Phthalic Acid Amide
EmollientSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCoconut Acid
CleansingMenthol
MaskingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Isopropyl Alcohol
SolventSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Sulfite
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingChromium Hydroxide Green
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide, Synthetic Wax, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Citric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Coconut Acid, Menthol, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Sulfite, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, Chromium Hydroxide Green
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCoconut acid is a mixture of fatty acids obtains by hydrolyzing coconut oil and then distilling the fatty acid portion. It works as a cleansing surfactant, emollient, and emulsifier depending on the formulation.
This ingredient is not a single compound but reflects the fatty acid profile of coconut oil itself, which is about 90% saturated. The dominant fatty acid is lauric acid (44-54%) and then myristic acid (13-19%). There are small amount of caprylic, capric, palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
Human testing from CIR has shown no indication this ingredient to be a primary irritant, sensitizer, or phototoxic compound. It's also COSMOS-approved for natural and organic products.
Due to the high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Coconut AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Chances 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideThis 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