What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Mandelic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Glycol Distearate, Laureth-4, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Cellulose Acetate
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Salicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Propanediol, Cellulose Acetate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Benzyl Alcohol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.
After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.
It is also used to make a product more thick.
Learn more about Acrylates CopolymerCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateWater. 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
