What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantPalmitic Acid
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantLavandula Angustifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningBorago Officinalis Extract
EmollientCentaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
AstringentSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicHyacinthus Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower/Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Hybrid Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingOleic Acid
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingCarthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChrysanthellum Indicum Extract
Skin ConditioningArachidic Acid
CleansingSodium Phytate
Polyquaternium-7
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingGlycerin, Water, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Cocoate, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Borago Officinalis Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract, Ceramide NP, Chamomilla Recutita Flower/Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Oleic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Arachidic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Polyquaternium-7, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantStearic Acid
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-8
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-7
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Acrylates Copolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, PEG-8, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Cocoate, Polyquaternium-7, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Niacinamide, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tocopherol, Parfum, Allantoin, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateLauric 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 AcidPolyquaternium-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.
This ingredient is the potassium salt of coconut acid. Coconut acid is created by mixing fatty acids from coconut oil.
It is an emulsifier, surfactant, and cleanser. According to a manufacturer, it contains glycerin.
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is an amino acid-based surfactant and cleaning agent. This ingredient can be derived from animals or plants. It may also be synthetically created from fatty acids of the coconut and glycine.
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is a gentle surfactant. Surfactants help gather the dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away. It is a mild cleanser and naturally produces foam.
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 AcidWater. 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