What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Chloride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-7
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Polyquaternium-22
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-47
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
PPG-3 Caprylyl Ether
SolventPolyquaternium-10
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment
HumectantHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Collagen
Moisturising
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicGlycine Max Polypeptide
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-22, Trihydroxystearin, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-47, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, PPG-3 Caprylyl Ether, Polyquaternium-10, Hexylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Betaine, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Biotin, Glycine Max Polypeptide, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningApigenin
Antioxidant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
Astringent
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Amodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer
PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
EmulsifyingTrideceth-5
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Dextran
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Quaternium-95
UV AbsorberPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Glycol Distearate, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Oleanolic Acid, Apigenin, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Piroctone Olamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone/Morpholinomethyl Silsesquioxane Copolymer, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Trideceth-5, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Dextran, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Quaternium-95, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Chloride, Propanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 16035, CI 19140
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 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 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 BetainePEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Sodium 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 BenzoateChances 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.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
