What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
PEG-8
HumectantPPG-8-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingSulfuric Acid
BufferingMilk Ferment
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Silk Powder
Skin ConditioningGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, PEG-8, PPG-8-Ceteth-20, Sulfuric Acid, Milk Ferment, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lauroyl Lysine, Silk Powder, Glycol Distearate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Alcohol, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-8
HumectantMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-7
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sericin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Water, Stearic Acid, PEG-8, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Lauric Acid, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyquaternium-7, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sericin, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrolyzed Silk
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholButylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPEG-8 is a synthetic polymer used as a humectant and solvent.
This ingredient is able to help dissolve active ingredients, including water. This gives it humectant properties.
It is soluble in water. The number '8' stands for the molecular weight of the ingredient.
Learn more about PEG-8Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic Acid
