What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isocetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Sulfate
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Glycerin, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isocetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Propanediol, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Caprylyl Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, P-Anisic Acid, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Madecassoside, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Yeast Extract, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl Alcoholp-anisic acid is an aromatic compound that is naturally found in some plants. It is mainly used as a fragrance ingredient but also has preservative and antimicrobial properties.
The effectiveness of this ingredient as a preservative and antimicrobial depends on the pH (with more acidic being better). This is the reason you'll see this ingredient bundled with other preservatives.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
