What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Apium Graveolens Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Babassuamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Andrographis Paniculata Extract
AstringentCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Menthol
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Malic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Propanediol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide Mipa, Glycol Stearate, Andrographis Paniculata Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Zinc PCA, Glycerin, Ethyl Macadamiate, Menthol, Menthyl Lactate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tocopherol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Salicylate, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 ChlorideSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateWater. 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
