What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate
SurfactantAcrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingCellulose
AbsorbentPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingGlycolic Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Hydrolyzed Potato Starch Dodecenylsuccinate, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Cellulose, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Glycolic Acid, Parfum, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSolum Diatomeae
AbrasiveSodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer
Acrylates Copolymer
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLauryl Glucoside
CleansingLithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
AbsorbentPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion StabilisingLimonene
PerfumingDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientTocotrienols
Skin ConditioningTriolein
Skin ConditioningTrilinolein
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Nitrate
Methylisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMagnesium Chloride
Water, Solum Diatomeae, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Glycerin, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Decyl Glucoside, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Lauryl Glucoside, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Polysorbate 20, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Limonene, Decylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Tetrasodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocotrienols, Triolein, Trilinolein, Magnesium Nitrate, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride
Reviews
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 GlycerinPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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