What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningLauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Lauryl Ether
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Musa Sapientum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract
MoisturisingPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Castanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Mume Fruit Extract
Humectant
Vinegar
Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Water, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-4 Lauryl Ether, Sodium PCA, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Musa Sapientum Flower Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Oleic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, Dipropylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Vinegar, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Bentonite
Absorbent
Kaolin
Abrasive
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Water
Skin ConditioningMentha Arvensis Powder
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Phytate
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Montmorillonite
AbsorbentIllite
Abrasive
Canadian Colloidal Clay
Skin ConditioningHectorite
AbsorbentChromium Oxide Greens
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Bentonite, Kaolin, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Zea Mays Starch, Palmitic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Water, Mentha Arvensis Powder, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Stearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Decylene Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Phytate, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP, Montmorillonite, Illite, Canadian Colloidal Clay, Hectorite, Chromium Oxide Greens
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
