What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
EmulsifyingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingAcrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer
Citric Acid
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantC12-13 Alketh-9
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingTocopherol
AntioxidantMentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
MaskingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycerin, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dipropylene Glycol, C12-13 Alketh-9, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Cyanocobalamin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Panthenol, Sodium Dna, Niacinamide, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Tocopherol, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ceramide NP, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid 0.45%
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Silica
AbrasiveParfum
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingPolyquaternium-67
Dextrin
AbsorbentZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentMannitol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sucrose
HumectantGardenia Florida Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetate
BufferingUltramarines
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentMelaleuca Viminalis Extract
Flower Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Citrata Leaf Extract
AstringentPinus Pinaster Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Salicylic Acid 0.45%, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Silica, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-67, Dextrin, Zea Mays Starch, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Mannitol, Disodium EDTA, Sucrose, Gardenia Florida Flower Extract, Sodium Acetate, Ultramarines, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Gluconolactone, Mandelic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Melaleuca Viminalis Extract, Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Mentha Citrata Leaf Extract, Pinus Pinaster Leaf Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 AcidDisodium 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 GlycerinChances 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