What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSolum Diatomeae
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Water, Kaolin, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, CI 77891, Solum Diatomeae, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-14m, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Benzoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Salicylic Acid, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Allantoin
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Perlite
Absorbent
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder
Abrasive
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingArgilla
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Castanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Perlite, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Argilla, Citric Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Menthol, Caffeine, Limonene, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice, Citrus Limon Juice, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium 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 HydroxideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
