What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cera Alba
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cocamide DEA, Propylene Glycol, Cera Alba, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycol Distearate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, EDTA, BHT, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Morinda Citrifolia Extract 35.511%
AstringentWater
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Lauramide DEA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Buteth-3
SolventPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Mume Fruit Extract
Humectant
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract
AstringentPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tributyl Citrate
SolventTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantMorinda Citrifolia Extract 35.511%, Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauramide DEA, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Allantoin, Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Buteth-3, Piroctone Olamine, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Tributyl Citrate, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root 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.
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 GlycerinSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, itβs still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidChances 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
