What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningLinoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid 2%
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingLactic Acid
BufferingCocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantSorbeth-230 Tetraoleate
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingNiacinamide
SmoothingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lactic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycerin, Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Niacinamide, Decyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sorbitan Laurate, Propanediol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
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 GlycerinWater. 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