What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate
EmulsifyingZinc PCA
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Salicylic Acid, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Xylitylglucoside, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Panthenol, Betaine, Sodium PCA, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Pentylene Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Saccharide Isomerate, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Zinc PCA, Lactic Acid, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Tetrasodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hectorite
AbsorbentPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates Copolymer
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Calcium Gluconate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Coconut Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hectorite, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates Copolymer, Benzoic Acid
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 GlycerinPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate is an emulsifier, thickener, and mild conditioner.
It's made by esterifying and pentaerythritol with stearic acid, and then attaching 150 units of ethylene oxide to make it water-friendly.
This structure lets it bridge oil and water to prevent ingredients from separating and keep formulas stable. It is also the reason it gives cosmetics a creamy feel without the greasiness.
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be well-tolerated. Human repeated patch testing on the undiluted version has come back negative for irritation and sensitization. On top of that, its large molecule size makes skin penetration unlikely.
Usage concentration ranges from 5% in rinse-off to 1.8% in leave-on formulas.
Because this ingredient is derived from stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl TetrastearateSalicylic 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 AcidSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Water. 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
