What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlucose
Humectant
Phytic Acid
Bromelain
Skin Conditioning
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Glycolate
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water
MaskingAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Glucose, Phytic Acid, Bromelain, Papain, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Glycolate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Ascorbic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Sucrose Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamide Methyl Mea
Surfactant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamide Methyl Mea, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Allantoin, Oleic Acid, Lactic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances 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 ChlorideWater. 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
