What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Xylenesulfonate
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingTrideceth-10
CleansingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, Sodium Citrate, Piroctone Olamine, Sodium Benzoate, Dimethiconol, Citric Acid, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Trideceth-10, Benzyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, CI 42090, CI 17200
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Chances 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 Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a surfactant, cleansing agent, and foaming agent. You'll find it in a wide range of products from shampoos to face cleansers.
It:
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has assessed it in 1983, 2002, and 2005 and found it to be safe in formulations at low concentrations.
SLS is a well-documented skin irritant at higher concentrations or with prolonged exposure. It's actually the gold standard positive control used in dermatological patch testing, meaning doctors use it because they know it will cause a reaction in people.
In one large study of 43,000 patiences tested with 0.25% SLS, about 22% showed some level of reactivity. It increases transepidermal water loss that disrupts your outermost layer of skin.
Face cleansers often pair this ingredient with mild co-surfactants like Cocamidopropyl Betaine to buffer its harshness.
Just so you know, SLS does not trigger true allergic contact dermatitis. This just means it can irritate your skin but doesn't cause your immune system to develop a lasting allergy to it.
Despite internet rumors, SLS is not considered a carcinogen by any major regulatory body.
Learn more about Sodium Lauryl SulfateWater. 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
