Papatui Nourishing Shampoo+Conditioner Versus Not Your Mother’s Aquatic Mint & Coastal Sea Holly Shampoo
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingParfum
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantPolyacrylate-33
Glycol Distearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCoumarin
PerfumingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Chlorphenesin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Tocopherol, Polyacrylate-33, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Sodium Hydroxide, Coumarin
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingGlycol Distearate
EmollientMenthol
MaskingMentha Aquatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningEryngium Maritimum Extract
TonicPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-10
Propanediol
SolventTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Benzyl Alcohol
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Glycol Distearate, Menthol, Mentha Aquatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Eryngium Maritimum Extract, Polysorbate 20, Polyquaternium-10, Propanediol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Parfum, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted effects and reactions from a product. These metal ions may come from water and are found in miniscule amounts.
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate can also help other preservatives be more effective.
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