What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
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Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingParfum
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Phytate
Citric Acid
BufferingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRumex Acetosella Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Potassium Sorbate, Coco-Glucoside, Glycol Distearate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Rumex Acetosella Extract, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Diethylenetriamine Dioleamide/Palmitamide
Acrylates Copolymer
Isoamyl Laurate
EmollientAcetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin ProtectingPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningTrifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentHydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSolanum Lycopersicum Seed Oil
EmollientDaucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantifolia Oil
CleansingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingAdansonia Digitata Oil
EmollientMauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientCaryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
AbrasivePolyquaternium-7
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Alcohol
AntimicrobialBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningTriisodecyl Trimellitate
EmollientCoconut Acid
CleansingSodium Isethionate
CleansingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
Trehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingSerine
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Algin
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPullulan
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantDextran
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Glycol Distearate, Hydroxyethyl Diethylenetriamine Dioleamide/Palmitamide, Acrylates Copolymer, Isoamyl Laurate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Pisum Sativum Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Solanum Lycopersicum Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Adansonia Digitata Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phytate, Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride, Triisodecyl Trimellitate, Coconut Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Trehalose, Urea, Serine, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Pullulan, Potassium Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Dextran, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, Citric Acid
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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycol 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 DistearateMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil is a lightweight oil from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. In cosmetics, it's an emollient that forms a light film to slow water loss and soften skin.
Its fatty acid composition is dominated by oleic acid (70-78%), with smaller amounts of behenic, palmitic, and stearic acids (this profile is actually pretty similar to olive oil).
Notably, this ingredient is oxidatively stable for an oil and resists going rancid as fast as other oils.
A small, in vivo study on 32 participants found a cream with this ingredient increased skin hydration with no reported skin irritation. It also found the tocopherol content gave it some antioxidant activity as well.
One thing to flag for fungal acne:
Because this oil is so high in oleic acid, Malassezia can use it as a food source and this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
For everyone else, this ingredient is well-tolerated and nourishing with a good safety track record.
Learn more about Moringa Oleifera Seed OilParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium 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 Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate is a cleansing ingredient. It is a surfactant, meaning it helps gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants. This helps them be rinsed away easily.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Water. 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