What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
Surfactant
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Coconut Acid
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Polyquaternium-53
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-100 Stearate, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, Coconut Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Salicylic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Hydrogenated Coconut Acid, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Polyquaternium-53, Coco-Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Sodium Isethionate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Trideceth-6, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCapryl/Capramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-39
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Capryl/Capramidopropyl Betaine, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-39, Sodium Chloride, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Trideceth-6, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCaprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
This ingredient is an emulsifier that keeps the oily and watery parts of a formula blended together. Its real party trick is making thin, flowable, and very stable emulsions.
Typical use sits around 2-4% (a bit higher for sunscreens and foundations).
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and noted the large molecules aren't likely to be absorbed into skin.
Because it carries a fatty-acid ester component (stearic acid), it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-30 DipolyhydroxystearatePhenoxyethanol 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 HydroxideWe don't have a description for Trideceth-6 yet.
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
