What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Thermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningCeteareth-20
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Parfum
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Abies Sibirica Oil
Masking
Artemisia Herba-Alba Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Juniperus Virginiana Wood Oil
Perfuming
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Origanum Majorana Herb Oil
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Coumarin
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Abies Balsamea Extract
Perfuming
Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil
Masking
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPiper Nigrum Fruit Oil
Masking
Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil
Masking
Disodium Rutinyl Disulfate
Antioxidant
Hordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Octocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Ceteareth-20, Glycerin, Zea Mays Starch, Phenoxyethanol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Polyacrylate, Parfum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Benzoic Acid, Carbomer, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Abies Sibirica Oil, Artemisia Herba-Alba Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Wood Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Origanum Majorana Herb Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coumarin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, BHT, Sodium Benzoate, Abies Balsamea Extract, Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Piper Nigrum Fruit Oil, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil, Disodium Rutinyl Disulfate, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEpilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Benzoic Acid, Carbomer, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is an organic acid that shows up in cosmetics as a preservative. It helps keep a product from spoiling by holding back the growth of yeast, mold, and some bacteria.
This ingredient also functions as a fragrance ingredient that helps mask the unpleasant scent of other ingredients.
The way it works is worth understanding; benzoic acid works when the formula is acidic. It is able to sneak into a microbe's cell and mess up how it functions to stop it from growing in an acidic product.
However, the acid switches to an inactive form and stops working if a product isn't acidic enough (above ~5 pH). This is why you'll often see it in low pH products or teamed up with other preservatives to cover the gap.
Safety wise, it's one of the better studied preservatives out there.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
A large international review found this ingredient had no effects on the human body and had low irritation potential.
Just so you know, real world use is usually much lower than the 5% ceiling (usually 1% of less).
The EU caps it at 2.5% in rinse-off products, 1.7% in oral care, and 0.5% in leave-on products.
One thing worth mentioning (it's nothing to worry about): some people get a little stinging or flushing where they apply it. This isn't a true allergy; it's a temporary and harmless reaction. This is the same kind of mild tingle you might notice from sorbic acid.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCitric 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 AcidDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateWater. 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
