What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingAmmonium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingSorbitol
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantTriethylhexanoin
MaskingDiphenyl Dimethicone
EmollientTrihydroxystearin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningMalt Extract
Skin ProtectingButylene Glycol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingMilk Protein Extract
Propolis Extract
Skin ConditioningRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Sorbitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Trihydroxystearin, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Malt Extract, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Honey Extract, Caffeine, Maltodextrin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Milk Protein Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingMyristic Acid
CleansingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingCoco-Betaine
CleansingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantIllicium Verum Fruit Extract
PerfumingPalmitic Acid
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientAlginic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientWater, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Beeswax, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Chloride, Coco-Betaine, Polysorbate 60, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Palmitic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Alginic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumChances 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