What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPaeonia Officinalis Flower Extract
TonicEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Fumaric Acid
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGeraniol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citronellol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Dimethicone, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cocamide Mipa, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Paeonia Officinalis Flower Extract, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Salicylic Acid, Fumaric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Carbomer, Geraniol, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Glycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentUrtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Vanillin
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-10
Erythritol
Humectant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauryl Glucoside, Panthenol, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Vanillin, Tocopherol, Polyquaternium-10, Erythritol, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium 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.
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
