What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Bentonite
Absorbent
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Annua Extract
MaskingBambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder
Abrasive
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Chromium Oxide Greens
Artemisia Montana Leaf Powder
Exfoliating
Disodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Kaolin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycerin, Bentonite, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Artemisia Annua Extract, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder, Glycol Distearate, Titanium Dioxide, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Chromium Oxide Greens, Artemisia Montana Leaf Powder, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77492, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Mannitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Benzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Arachidic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oleic Acid, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Mannitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate
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
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil is oil from the peel of an orange fruit.
Limonene and linalool make up the majority of oils from citrus peels. Limonene has a "citrus" fragrance. Citrus peels also contain flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
Citrus peel is also a rich source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are natural antioxidants and help protect your skin against damage. Flavonoids are a group of compounds naturally found in vegetables and fruits.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel OilDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source.
Learn more about Lauric AcidLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia OilMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic 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
