What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate
Propylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Triisostearate
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientDeoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea
Skin ConditioningWater, Mandelic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Triisostearate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ceramide NP, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Allantoin, Polyquaternium-7, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
HumectantBromelain
Skin ConditioningAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPapain
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Charcoal
AbrasiveDiazolidinyl Urea
PreservativePropanediol
SolventIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Decyl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Betaine, Bromelain, Acacia Senegal Gum, Papain, Lactic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Charcoal, Diazolidinyl Urea, Propanediol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl 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 BetaineDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 gentle cleansing and foaming ingredient is known for leaving a smooth feeling in skin and hair. It is made using coconut oil.
According to the manufacturer, it is soluble in water and has resistance to hard water, acid, and alkali.
Due to its coconut base, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
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