What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Polyquaternium-7
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Isostearoyl Lactate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium EDTA
PPG-28-Buteth-35
Skin ConditioningPEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicNiacinamide
Smoothing
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamide Mea, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, Glycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Isostearoyl Lactate, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Laurate, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-150 Distearate, Tetrasodium EDTA, PPG-28-Buteth-35, PEG-14m, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Biotin, Niacinamide, CI 17200, CI 60730
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Sodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
PPG-9
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
PEG-45m
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Gluconate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Collagen Amino Acids, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Glycerin, PPG-9, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, PEG-45m, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, 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.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium 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 BenzoateSodium 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 SulfonateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
