What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
Cleansing
Sodium Myristoyl Sarcosinate
CleansingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Trideceth Sulfate
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
PEG-100
HumectantLauric Acid
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-10
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Menthol
Masking
Laureth-10
EmulsifyingMethylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Glycerin, Sorbitol, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Sodium Myristoyl Sarcosinate, Hydrated Silica, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, BHT, Salicylic Acid, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, PEG-100, Lauric Acid, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Cocamide Mea, Disodium EDTA, Menthol, Laureth-10, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 19140, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantBlue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Metabisulfite, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 19140, Blue 1 Lake
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
CI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140Citric 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 AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinMethylchloroisothiazolinone, or MCI, is a synthetic preservative used to protect against the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi in water-based products.
MCI is commonly combined with methylisothiazolinone (MI) in a 3:1 ratio.
This ingredient is safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-sensitizing and concentrations must not exceed 7.5 ppm in leave-on products / 15 ppm in rinse-off products.
Unfortunately, this ingredient has a well-documented sensitization story. Studies spanning several decades have shown this ingredient + MI to cause skin irritation and allergies.
The use of this ingredient varies around the world:
This just means this ingredient is most likely non-sensitizing in rinse-off products unless you've been diagnosed with a contact allergy to isothiazolinones.
Learn more about MethylchloroisothiazolinoneMI is a preservative and known skin irritant. In the past, MI was used for its ability to prevent bacteria, yeast, and fungi growth in low doses.
Nowadays, you'll most likely see MI combined with Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI).
Since then, numerous studies have shown this ingredient to cause contact dermatitis, or skin irritation.
The use of this ingredient varies around the world:
Learn more about MethylisothiazolinoneParfum 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
