What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Lactose
HumectantCellulose
Absorbent
BHT
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73360
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Pantothenate
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Water, Glycerin, Lauric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Lactose, Cellulose, BHT, Tetrasodium EDTA, Niacinamide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, CI 77492, CI 73360, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Retinyl Palmitate, Calcium Pantothenate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine Hcl, Silica
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-7
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Cera Alba
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Trisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, PEG-8, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ubiquinone, Polyquaternium-7, Arachidic Acid, Oleic Acid, Cera Alba, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Trisodium EDTA, Parfum
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 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 AcidMyristic Acid, aka tetradecanoic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in coconut oil and palm oil.
In skincare, it is an:
Research indicates that this ingredient posts a low risk of irritation and sensitization.
Since myristic acid is a C14 fatty acid, it falls within the range that Malassezia can metabolize, and therefore not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Myristic AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPotassium 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 HydroxideSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin C. It is the salt of ascorbic acid.
This ingredient is commonly used in skincare because it's more formulation-stable while still offering the same benefits as pure ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and oxygen whereas SAP has been shown to be more stable.
Studies show SAP has anti-acne and antioxidant benefits. One study found 5% of SAP lotion to be an effective ingredient for treating acne vulgaris. This is because research shows that SAP may help control acne by reducing acne-causing bacteria and slowing the oxidation of skin oils caused by UV exposure.
In addition to acne, vitamin C is important for skin structure. Lab studies suggest SAP may support collagen production in skin cells, making it a great ingredient in anti-aging routines.
Vitamin C has many benefits: it helps reduce redness, improve skin texture, fade the appearance of dark spots, and brighten the skin.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Sodium Ascorbyl PhosphateStearic 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
