What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Water
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol Distearate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Princeps Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propylene Glycol Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Artemisia Princeps Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Cocoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingAspartic Acid
Masking
Potassium Cocoyl Glutamate
Surfactant
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingChamaecyparis Obtusa Water
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Aspartic Acid, Potassium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Coco-Glucoside, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Citrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolThis ingredient is also known as Hinoki water. It is made by steam distilling the Japanese cypress tree.
Functionally, this ingredient is often used as a water replacement and concentrations can go as high up as 65%; this just means its more-so used to shape the base of a formula than as a star active.
The water carries small amounts of the tree's volatile compounds that give it a soft and woody scent.
Most of the published skin research is related to the essential oil or leaf extract rather than this water form; these cell and mice studies should antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects.
This ingredient only contains a small amount of these beneficial compounds but can still provide some soothing.
The Hinokitiol compound in this water is also antifungal against Malassezia; this can make it a great option for those with fungal acne.
However, those with fragrance sensitivity should patch test.
Fun fact: The Japanese 'Hinoki' Cypress tree is traditionally used to build shrines and temples.
Learn more about Chamaecyparis Obtusa WaterCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
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 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 IsethionateWater. 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
