What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingStearyl Citrate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
AstringentSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Tilia Cordata Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Melilotus Officinalis Extract
AstringentMenthol
Masking
Spirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingMentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Lauryl Glucoside, Stearyl Citrate, Glycerin, Panthenol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Melilotus Officinalis Extract, Menthol, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Mentha Piperita Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Xylitol
Humectant
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningVinegar
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Urtica Dioica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Citrus Grandis Seed Extract
Astringent
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Xylitol, Sea Salt, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Vinegar, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Colloidal Oatmeal, Benzyl Alcohol, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Mentha Piperita Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl 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 ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideThis 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 OilRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil is an essential oil also known as rosemary essential oil. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning agent and also acts as a natural fragrance that gives products a fresh/herby smell.
The oil is a mix of over 100 volatile compounds with 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, camphor, and verbenone usually leading the pack.
Lab studies credit this oil with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activity. Some research even show rosemary compounds calming acne-related inflammation.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be nonsensitizing.
Since this is a fragrant essential oil, the main concern is for fragrance-sensitive folks.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf OilSalix Alba Bark Extract comes from the bark of the white willow tree. The official CosIng listing states this ingredient to have astringent, skin conditioning, soothing, and tonic properties.
Its star compound is salicin, a natural glucoside that is chemically related to salicylic acid. That's why you'll often see it marketed as a "natural BHA alternative" but that's a bit of a stretch.
Your skin can't convert salicin to salicylic acid because it needs specific enzymes that aren't present on the skin's surface. It won't behave like true salicylic acid, especially at the concentrations used in cosmetics.
However, this ingredient has its own perks. It contains flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins that give it proven antioxidant and soothing properties.
An 8-week clinical study found a cream with 2% of this extract improved skin microcirculation, elasticity, and dark circles. This is most likely due to its role in increasing hyaluronic acid synthesis in fibroblasts and improved vascular integrity.
Another study found a topical serum with 0.5% salicin showed improvements in visible signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and texture.
Just be careful if you have a known aspirin/salicylate allergy and be sure to consult with a medical professional about using this ingredient if you do.
Fun fact: Willow Bark extract has been used for thousands of years and ancient civilizations used white willow to help treat pain and fevers.
Learn more about Salix Alba Bark ExtractWater. 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
