This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin feeling tight or stripped.
This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSaccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Extract
AstringentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Germ Powder
Abrasive
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPropanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Niacinamide, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Coco-Glucoside, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Punica Granatum Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Panthenol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Squalane, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Jojoba Esters, Oryza Sativa Germ Powder, Lactic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
PCA
Humectant
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Coco-Glucoside, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sea Salt, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PCA, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
