What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Cetearyl Olivate
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Powder
Abrasive
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Polyquaternium-7
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Dextrin
AbsorbentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOleic Acid
Emollient
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Artemisia Capillaris Extract
Citric Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Succinic Acid
BufferingAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cetearyl Olivate, Decyl Glucoside, Salicylic Acid, Potassium Cocoate, Sorbitan Olivate, Allantoin, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium PCA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Powder, Palmitic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Dextrin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oleic Acid, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Succinic Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningCoconut Acid
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Artemisia Caruifolia Powder
Abrasive
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Polyquaternium-67
Sodium Acetate
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Water, Coconut Acid, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Betaine, Myristic Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Artemisia Caruifolia Powder, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Chloride, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Dextrin, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Polyquaternium-67, Sodium Acetate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycolCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractDextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.
Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.
Learn more about DextrinThis ingredient comes from the evergreen flowering plant, gardenia. It has skin conditioning properties.
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 GlycerinMyristic 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 AcidStearic 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 AcidWater. 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
