What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
CI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Kaolin
Abrasive
Potassium Stearate
CleansingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Styrax Benzoin Gum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTourmaline
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sucrose
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Bentonite
Absorbent
Sodium Phytate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantAquilaria Agallocha Wood Oil
Masking
Water, Silica, CI 77220, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Kaolin, Potassium Stearate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Decyl Glucoside, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Styrax Benzoin Gum, Limonene, Linalool, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Tourmaline, Sodium Hyaluronate, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Sucrose, Caprylyl Glycol, Caffeine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, PEG-100 Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Bentonite, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, Aquilaria Agallocha Wood Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCellulose Acetate
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate
Emulsifying
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Bromelain
Skin Conditioning
Papain
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Cellulose Acetate, Betaine, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Squalane, Tocopherol, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate, Chlorphenesin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, T-Butyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Bromelain, Papain, 1,2-Hexanediol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Decyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
