What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingTrihydroxystearin
Skin ConditioningGlycol Distearate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Citric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningWater, 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
HumectantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate
SurfactantSodium Chloride
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingOryza Sativa Bran Water
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningInositol
HumectantZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentMannitol
HumectantPEG-45m
HumectantPolyquaternium-7
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentKaolin
AbrasiveButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Ceramide NP
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Extensin
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasivePolyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
EmulsifyingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCitrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantGlycolic Acid
BufferingProtease
ExfoliatingTocopherol
AntioxidantMonascus/Rice Ferment
AntioxidantOryza Sativa Powder
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Lauryl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Sodium Chloride, Niacinamide, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Inositol, Zea Mays Starch, Mannitol, PEG-45m, Polyquaternium-7, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Kaolin, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Dextrin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Silica, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, CI 77891, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Cyclodextrin, CI 77491, Glycolic Acid, Protease, Tocopherol, Monascus/Rice Ferment, Oryza Sativa Powder, CI 77499
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
This ingredient is a mild surfactant made by sticking glucose onto a blend of fatty acids.
It does two jobs because it has a sugar head that loves water and a fatty tail that loves oil:
Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.
Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.
Learn more about Caprylyl/Capryl GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
Lauryl Betaine is a cleansing ingredient. You'll most likely see it in face washes, body washes, and shampoos. It's a type of surfactant that helps water mix with oil so dirt, sweat, and sunscreen can rinse off easily.
Chemically, lauryl betaine is an amphoteric surfactant so it carries both a positive and negative charge. This helps it create a creamy foam while being less harsh than stronger detergent-type cleansers.
According to CIR, this ingredient is generally considered safe when used in cosmetics. However, like all surfactants, it can be irritating when used in high amounts of in formulas that aren't well balanced.
Learn more about Lauryl BetainePolyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
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.
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