What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Hamamelis Virginiana Bark/Leaf Extract
AstringentSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Carbomer, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Bark/Leaf Extract, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA, Benzophenone-4, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylparaben
Preservative
Butylparaben
Masking
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Isobutylparaben
Antimicrobial
Propylparaben
Preservative
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben, Benzophenone-4
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzophenone-4 is a water-soluble chemical sunscreen.
It protects in the UV-B range, but is considered a secondary UV absorber. This means that it needs to be paired with other sunscreen ingredients to provide effective protection.
Typically, it's used in cosmetic products to protect them from deterioration caused by UV rays. This is why you'll find it in a lot of products that aren't sunscreens.
Learn more about Benzophenone-4Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate is a synthetic, water-soluble surfactant and emulsifier.
It's a "superfatting" agent that helps replenish some of your skin's oils after they're stripped away by other surfactants.
This is why "gentle" and "moisturizing" cleansers feel less stripping than basic ones.
Typical concentrations range from 1-10% and it has a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe at concentrations up to 10% in leave-on products.
Dermal application tests at 50% also did not produce irritation in two studies.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe and in vitro studies have shown Malassezia can metabolize it.
Learn more about PEG-7 Glyceryl CocoatePhenoxyethanol 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.
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 HydroxideSodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate is a gentle, coconut-derived cleansing surfactant. It's most commonly found in "sulfate-free" cleansers.
As a taurate, it belongs to a class of anionic surfactants prized for being efficient at cleansing without harshness, good performance in hard water, stability across a wide pH range, and easily biodegradable.
It is able to lift away oil and grime and make a nice lather without stripping your skin, so it's a good pick for sensitive skin.
Safety-wise, it has a good record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and concentrations go up to 11% in leave-on products or 13% in rinse-off products.
Despite being derived from coconut oil, this ingredient is fungal acne safe. It's a water-soluble surfactant with no fatty oils or esters left intact on skin for the Malassezia yeast to feed.
Learn more about Sodium Methyl Cocoyl TaurateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
