What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
C12-13 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningCocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Laureth-10
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
EDTA
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Glycol Distearate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Cocamide Mea, Laureth-10, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Myreth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningLaureth-10
EmulsifyingTriethylene Glycol
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-5 Cocomonium Methosulfate
Sodium Glutamate
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Casein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Magnesium Nitrate
Magnesium Chloride
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Myreth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, Cocamide Mea, Citric Acid, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Laureth-10, Triethylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-5 Cocomonium Methosulfate, Sodium Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Casein, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Magnesium Nitrate, Magnesium Chloride, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
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 AcidThis ingredient is made by combining the fatty acids from coconut oil with monoethanolamine. It is an emulsifier that helps boost foam, thicken texture, and help keep ingredients together in a formula.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.
That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.
This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.
Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideWe don't have a description for Laureth-10 yet.
Phenoxyethanol 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 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 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 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
