What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
PEG-6
HumectantPEG-32
HumectantSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-7
Tetrasodium EDTA
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Persica Leaf Extract
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Stearate Se, PEG-6, PEG-32, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Phosphate, Parfum, Polyquaternium-7, Tetrasodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Prunus Persica Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Styrax Benzoin Gum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Tourmaline
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-7
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
PEG-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Behenic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Palmitic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Styrax Benzoin Gum, Linalool, Limonene, Tourmaline, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-7, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, PEG-3 Distearate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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, aka tetradecanoic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in coconut oil and palm oil.
In skincare, it is an:
Research indicates that this ingredient posts a low risk of irritation and sensitization.
Since myristic acid is a C14 fatty acid, it falls within the range that Malassezia can metabolize, and therefore not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPolyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
Potassium 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 HydroxideSodium 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 Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateStearic 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 AcidWater. 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
