What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer
Acrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingParfum
Masking
Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPEG-8 Laurate
Emulsifying
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningLinoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Silicone Quaternium-22
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium EDTA
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Caprate
EmulsifyingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Quaternium-95
UV AbsorberCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
Sodium Sulfate
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningHypericum Perforatum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tilia Cordata Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Seyal Gum Extract
HumectantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicNiacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Limonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Parfum, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Lauryl Glucoside, PEG-8 Laurate, Sodium PCA, Potassium Hydroxide, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Silicone Quaternium-22, Propylene Glycol, Laureth-4, C12-16 Alcohols, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Tetrasodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Mentha Piperita Oil, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Glycolic Acid, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Quaternium-95, Caffeine, Acer Saccharum Extract, Palmitamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Citrate, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propanediol, Malachite Extract, Alcohol, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Hypericum Perforatum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Acacia Seyal Gum Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Tin Oxide, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
AbsorbentPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Xylitol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Panthenol, Xylitylglucoside, Charcoal Powder, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Anhydroxylitol, Bisabolol, Menthyl Lactate, Xylitol, Polyquaternium-7, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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 AcidCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis essential oil is steam-distilled from peppermint leaves, also known as peppermint oil. It's mainly used for scent in skincare but also provides that signature "cooling" sensation.
Peppermint oil is a "feels amazing" ingredient until it doesn't.
At higher doses or for those with sensitive skin, methol-type cooling can quickly turn into burning/irritation. It can also trigger irritant dermatitis or even allergic contact dermatitis. In a large patch-test dataset, peppermint oil had a low but positive rate for this.
In cosmetics, Cosmetic Safety Reviews (CIR) concludes that peppermint oil is safe to use when formulated to be non-sensitizing with some restrictions; for instance, pulegone, a naturally occurring component of peppermint oil, should not exceed 1%.
Since peppermint oil contains fragrance allergens such as limonene, linalool, and menthol, it can be sensitizing for those with rosacea, eczema, a broken skin barrier, or just sensitive skin in general.
In Japan, this ingredient is known as Hakka Yu.
Learn more about Mentha Piperita OilPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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 ParfumSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
