What's inside
What's inside
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
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
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Methyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Glycol
SolventCamellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Coco-Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Gluceth-10, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Benzyl Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel 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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
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 preservatives
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 GlycolCitric 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 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolChances 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 ChlorideWater. 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
