Laneige Water Bank Gentle Gel Cleanser Versus Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Moisture Barrier Cleanser
This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.
This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while respecting your skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingTrihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-7
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Lauryl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Trihydroxystearin, Glycol Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyquaternium-7, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Panthenol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Surfactant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingInulin
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Epidermidibacterium Keratini Ferment Filtrate
EmollientQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingSodium Phytate
Lecithin
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingButyl Avocadate
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Mannose
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Ferox Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTriacetin
AntimicrobialGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Inulin, Butylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Colloidal Oatmeal, Caprylyl Glycol, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Micrococcus Lysate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Epidermidibacterium Keratini Ferment Filtrate, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Sodium Phytate, Lecithin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Citric Acid, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Citrate, Butyl Avocadate, Arginine, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Mannose, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Maltodextrin, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Triacetin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Dextrin, Parfum
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
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineCitric 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidLauryl Hydroxysultaine is a mild surfactant or cleansing ingredient that helps lift away dirt/oil, boost foam, and thicken the formula. It plays nicely with other surfactants and stays stable across a wide pH range.
Sodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateSodium 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 TaurateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
