What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Climbazole
Antimicrobial
Hexamidine Diisethionate
Emollient
Oligopeptide-29
Antioxidant
Propanediol Caprylate
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Xylitylglucoside, Salicylic Acid, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Panthenol, Piroctone Olamine, Climbazole, Hexamidine Diisethionate, Oligopeptide-29, Propanediol Caprylate, Water, Hexylene Glycol, Capryloyl Glycine, Phenoxyethanol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Parfum
Masking
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Epilobium Angustifolium Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialNasturtium Officinale Extract
Perfuming
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingNiacin
SmoothingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Menthol
Masking
Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingGlycol Stearate
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
PEG-45m
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propanediol, Dimethiconol, Glycerin, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Acrylates Copolymer, Parfum, Piroctone Olamine, Salicylic Acid, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Panthenol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Niacin, Biotin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Menthol, Milk Protein, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycol Stearate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, PEG-45m, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Piroctone Olamine is a synthetic antifungal and preservative ingredient.
Its main job is to keep the yeast, Malassezia, in check; this yeast is linked to dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and fungal acne (a.k.a. Malassezia folliculitis).
The way it works is pretty neat:
It slips into the fungal cell and grabs onto iron ions that the yeast needs for its energy metabolism; this basically starves it out. But the full mechanism isn't 100% pinned down and some research also points it to interfering with ergosterol (a building block of the fungal cell membrane).
Besides antifungal action, it also has mild anti-inflammatory and soothing effects to help calm itchiness in the scalp.
Typical usage concentrations are low. The EU permits it to be a preservative up to 1% in rinse-off products and 0.5% in leave-on products.
Though it's generally well-tolerated, a small number of people may notice itching or irritation (as with any active).
Learn more about Piroctone OlamineSalicylic 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, it’s 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 AcidWater. 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
