What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Algae Extract
EmollientSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Medicago Sativa Seed Powder
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal
Abrasive
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCopper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantMagnesium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Succinate
Antioxidant
Niacin
SmoothingSesamum Indicum Seed Powder
Skin ConditioningQuartz Powder
Abrasive
Nephrite Powder
Abrasive
Pearl Powder
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Maris Sal
Skin ConditioningHumic Acids
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Tourmaline
Macrocystis Pyrifera Protein
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingTrehalose
Humectant
Cellulose
Absorbent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
CleansingSodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PEG-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Urea
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantMyristic Acid, Glycerin, Behenic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Algae Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Medicago Sativa Seed Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Succinate, Niacin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder, Quartz Powder, Nephrite Powder, Pearl Powder, Caffeine, Maris Sal, Humic Acids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sucrose, Tourmaline, Macrocystis Pyrifera Protein, Polyquaternium-51, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Trehalose, Cellulose, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium PCA, PEG-3 Distearate, Urea, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Linalool, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 19140, CI 15985, CI 42090, CI 61570
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Distearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Kaolin
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
PEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
Buffering
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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 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
