What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
C12-13 Alketh-9
EmulsifyingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingParfum
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Sorbitol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Zinc Ricinoleate
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningChloramine T
AntimicrobialSodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Coco-Betaine, Cocamide Mipa, Niacinamide, C12-13 Alketh-9, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-10, Sorbitol, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Zinc Ricinoleate, Kojic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Hexylene Glycol, Propanediol, Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract, Chloramine T, Sodium Bicarbonate, CI 19140, Ascorbic Acid, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sodium Carbonate, Limonene, Geraniol, Citral, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPropylene Glycol Laurate
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Calcium Carbonate
Abrasive
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-10
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Honey Extract
Humectant
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Extract
EmollientLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningIllicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientRose Extract
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Callicarpa Japonica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCornus Controversa Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Trehalose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Arginine, Calcium Carbonate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-10, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Honey Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Rose Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Callicarpa Japonica Fruit Extract, Cornus Controversa Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCitric 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 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 GlycerinHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalLinalool 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 LinaloolParfum 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 ParfumPolyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.
This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.
For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.
Learn more about Polyquaternium-10Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateChances 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.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
