What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C12-18 Alkyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Piper Nigrum Seed Oil
Astringent
Betula Pendula Sap
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Water, Sodium C12-18 Alkyl Sulfate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Chloride, Piper Nigrum Seed Oil, Betula Pendula Sap, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil, Limonene, Benzoic Acid, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Geraniol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Sulfite
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sorbitol
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningOrmenis Multicaulis Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sorbitol, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Polysorbate 80, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium Gluconate, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citric Acid, Salicylic Acid, Coconut Acid, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Benzoic Acid, Tocopherol, Linalool, Limonene
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 used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidCitric 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 AcidLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.
This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
