What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantOleic Acid
Emollient
Bletilla Striata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEchinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingBacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPerilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
TonicEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Betaine, Propanediol, Coconut Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Isethionate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Stearic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Salicylic Acid, Potassium Benzoate, Palmitic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sorbitol, Butylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Arachidic Acid, Panthenol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Myristic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Oleic Acid, Bletilla Striata Root Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ethoxydiglycol, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Madecassoside
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
Surfactant
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Coconut Acid
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Polyquaternium-53
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-100 Stearate, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, Coconut Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Salicylic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Hydrogenated Coconut Acid, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Polyquaternium-53, Coco-Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Sodium Isethionate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Trideceth-6, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Coco-Betaine is the natural version of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is often derived from coconuts.
Coco-Betaine is a surfactant, meaning it helps remove dirt and oil from the skin.
Coconut acid is a mixture of fatty acids obtains by hydrolyzing coconut oil and then distilling the fatty acid portion. It works as a cleansing surfactant, emollient, and emulsifier depending on the formulation.
This ingredient is not a single compound but reflects the fatty acid profile of coconut oil itself, which is about 90% saturated.
The dominant fatty acid is lauric acid (44-54%) and then myristic acid (13-19%). There are also small amounts of caprylic, capric, palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
Human testing from CIR has shown no indication this ingredient to be a primary irritant, sensitizer, or phototoxic compound. It's COSMOS-approved for natural and organic products.
Due to the fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Research has confirmed Malassezia can use lauric acid as a food source.
Learn more about Coconut 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateSalicylic 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 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 ChlorideSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateWe don't have a description for Sodium Isethionate yet.
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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
