What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMyrtus Communis Leaf Water
MaskingKaolin
Abrasive
Bentonite
Absorbent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Montmorillonite
AbsorbentPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Laurate
Skin ConditioningSimethicone
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTrisodium EDTA
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Myrtus Communis Leaf Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Butylene Glycol, Montmorillonite, Polysorbate 20, PEG-100 Stearate, Charcoal Powder, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, PEG-150 Distearate, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Sorbitan Laurate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Simethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bentonite
Absorbent
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantWater, Kaolin, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Stearyl Alcohol, Bentonite, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bentonite is an aluminium phyllosilicate clay with great absorbent properties. The name 'bentonite' comes from the area where the largest source is found: Fort Benton, Wyoming.
As a clay, bentonite is often used to absorb excess oil and provide exfoliation. It has also been shown to have some antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show bentonite was effective at calming dermatitis from poison ivy and in diaper dermatitis of infants. Bentonite has also been shown to act as a barrier against toxic compounds on your skin.
Sunscreens containing bentonite display higher water resistance and stay on the skin for much longer. The sunscreens containing bentonite also show higher potency and UV light absorbtion.
Bentonite is naturally created from volcanic ash and several natural weathering/hydrothermal processes.
A common usage of bentonite is removing excess protein from white wines. Bentonite contains a property of being able to absorb large amounts of protein from aqueous solutions.
Phyllosilicate clay has a structure formed by sheets.
Learn more about BentoniteCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
