What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Isethionate
CleansingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Isopropanolamine
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamide Mipa, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Limonene, Glycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Coconut Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Isethionate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phytate, Isopropanolamine, Sodium PCA, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-10
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Dextrin
AbsorbentJuniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Ocimum Basilicum Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Viola Odorata Leaf Extract
MaskingLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauryl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, Trihydroxystearin, Polyquaternium-10, Caffeine, Cetyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Salicylate, Mentha Piperita Oil, Menthol, Citric Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Dextrin, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Tetrasodium EDTA, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Viola Odorata Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosphingosine, Biotin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 AcidThis ingredient is a cleansing agent, surfactant, and foam booster. It considered an alternative to traditional sulfates (Sulfosuccinate) and is allowed in "sulfate-free" products.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient is mild and can be used in baby and bath options.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is the essential oil from the leaves of cornmint. It is one of the richest natural sources of menthol on our planet (about 70-78%).
In cosmetics, this ingredient mostly works as a fragrance and/or masking agent used to cover up unpleasant smells of other ingredients.
The "cooling" sensation from mint isn't a real temperature change; menthol actives a nerve receptor in skin that gets triggered by cold. Your brain essentially gets a "cool" signal from it.
Just so you know, allergic contact dermatitis to menthol is documented in literature (but it's kind of uncommon). This is why the percentages allowed in leave-on products are quite low (0.2%). Be sure to patch test if you have sensitive skin.
Though this ingredient is not listed as an EU allergen, it's cousins (Mentha Piperita Oil, menthol and Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil) are.
Due to the high Menthol content of this ingredient, brands are required to label "menthol" as a separate ingredient on the list. The EU regulation labels the allergenic substance, not just the source ingredient, so the menthol carried in this ingredient still has to be declared.
Learn more about Mentha Arvensis Leaf OilSodium 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 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 IsethionateWater. 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
