What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Benzoyl Peroxide 10%
Water
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate
CleansingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzoyl Peroxide 10%, Water, Carbomer, Decyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Diethylhexyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Glycerin, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, PEG-40 Stearate, Propanediol, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLauryl Lactyl Lactate
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid, Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Niacinamide, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Lauryl Lactyl Lactate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Citric Acid, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerDecyl 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 GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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 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
