What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPumice
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
SolventSodium Chloride
MaskingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingGlycolic Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningCharcoal Powder
AbrasiveZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentMannitol
HumectantMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentAmylopectin
Dextrin
AbsorbentPolydextrose
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium PCA
HumectantCalcium Gluconate
HumectantQuartz
AbrasiveSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingAbies Sibirica Oil
MaskingZingiber Officinale Root Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLinalyl Acetate
MaskingPinene
MaskingBeta-Caryophyllene
MaskingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Pumice, Glycerin, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Propanediol, Sodium Chloride, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Tocopherol, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Charcoal Powder, Zea Mays Starch, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Amylopectin, Dextrin, Polydextrose, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium PCA, Calcium Gluconate, Quartz, Sodium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Abies Sibirica Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Pinene, Beta-Caryophyllene
Sucrose
HumectantCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientCoconut Alkanes
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Laurate
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveCoffea Arabica Seed Oil
MaskingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantPassiflora Edulis Seed Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientCitrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSweet Almond Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
EmollientSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningSucrose, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Silica, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sweet Almond Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Sorbitan Oleate, Water
Alternatives
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 GlycerinSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil (aka marula oil) is a skin hydrating ingredient.
Its fatty acid profile is dominated by oleic acid (~69%), palmitic acid (~15%), linoleic acid (~9%), and palmitoleic acid (~4%).
These fatty acids are very similar to those naturally found in the epidermis, making this oil biomimetic; basically, your skin recognizes it.
Clinical testing found this ingredient to be moisturizing and non-irritating, with noteworthy effects on reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
Besides fatty acids, marula oil is also rich in oxidative stabilizers like vitamin E, vitamin C precursors, and polyphenols. This gives it excellent shelf stability compared to most facial oils.
This is a great ingredient for dry, dull, or barrier-compromised skin.
Just know it may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fatty acids can as as a food source for the Malassezia yeast.
Learn more about Sclerocarya Birrea Seed OilWater. 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