What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Physalis Peruviana Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentFragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingMethoxycinnamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
UV AbsorberTocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantPhysalis Peruviana Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Caffeine, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Cocamide Mea, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Methoxycinnamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Tocotrienols, Sodium Gluconate, Parfum, Citric Acid, CI 16035, CI 42090, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cucurbita Pepo Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coffea Arabica Seed Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-2
Capric Acid
Cleansing
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Caffeine, Cucurbita Pepo Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyquaternium-2, Capric Acid, Benzophenone-4, Sodium Gluconate, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 15985
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCocamidopropyl 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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 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 BenzoateThis is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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
