What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Water
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantPalmitic Acid
EmollientLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingSodium Methyltaurate
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingBiosaccharide Gum-4
Skin ConditioningLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingBis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningInositol
HumectantPhytic Acid
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSoluble Collagen
HumectantIsostearic Acid
CleansingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerylamidoethyl Methacrylate/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
HumectantAcrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-7
Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Bicarbonate
AbrasivePentasodium Aminotrimethylene Phosphonate
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Water, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Sodium Methyltaurate, Sorbitol, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Tocopherol, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Inositol, Phytic Acid, Glycosphingolipids, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Soluble Collagen, Isostearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerylamidoethyl Methacrylate/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Polyquaternium-7, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Pentasodium Aminotrimethylene Phosphonate
Glycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientMyristic Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantLauric Acid
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningProtease
ExfoliatingPropylene Glycol
HumectantAlgin
MaskingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-7
Kaolin
AbrasiveTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBHT
AntioxidantSodium Pyrosulfate
Parfum
MaskingGlycerin, Water, Palmitic Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Lauryl Glucoside, Ascorbic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Protease, Propylene Glycol, Algin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Polyquaternium-7, Kaolin, Titanium Dioxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, Glyceryl Stearate, BHT, Sodium Pyrosulfate, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source. Even though "fungal acne" has the word "acne" in it, they are completely different. Regular acne is driven by a bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes, clogged pores, and excess oil. Fungal acne isn't really acne; it's caused by an overgrowth of a yeast called Malassezia that already lives on everyone's skin. Because one is bacterial and the other is fungal, they respond to different ingredients.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid, aka tetradecanoic acid, is a naturally occurring fatty acid found in coconut oil and palm oil.
In skincare, it is an:
Research indicates that this ingredient posts a low risk of irritation and sensitization.
Since myristic acid is a C14 fatty acid, it falls within the range that Malassezia can metabolize, and therefore not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPolyquaternium-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
Potassium Hydroxide (also known as potash) is a strong alkaline ingredient that does one job: it nudges a product's pH up so the whole formula lands in a skin-friendly range.
It's also the base that turns oils into liquid soap during the soap making process.
An expert safety panel reviewed it and found it safe when formulations are made to be non-irritating.
As a pH adjuster, it's typically used well under 1% though regulatory caps go much higher: 5% in nail cuticle removers and 2-4.5% in hair straighteners.
Though there is some concern for irritation from raw or high pH material, a well-balanced formula will be a non-issue for the vast majority of people.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic Acid