What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Oxidized Starch Pg-Trimonium Chloride
HumectantStarch Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingUrea
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Hydroxypropyl Oxidized Starch Pg-Trimonium Chloride, Starch Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Chloride, Urea, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Levulinic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Coco-Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Limon Fruit Oil
Astringent
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Sorbitol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Carum Petroselinum Extract
Skin ConditioningActinidia Arguta Juice
EmollientSaururus Chinensis Extract
Skin ConditioningSpinacia Oleracea
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantWater, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Citric Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Behentrimonium Chloride, Sorbitol, Caffeine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Carum Petroselinum Extract, Actinidia Arguta Juice, Saururus Chinensis Extract, Spinacia Oleracea, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
Reviews
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 EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Chances 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 Glutamate is a gentle cleanser and surfactant. It is the sodium salt of the Cocoyl Glutamic Acid and comes from coconut oil. As a surfactant, it helps lift dirt and oil to be washed away.
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate also has an emolliating effect and can help leave the skin feeling soft.
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
