What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Diglycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cellulose Acetate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Emulsifying
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingTribehenin
Emollient
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingSodium PCA
Humectant
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Myristic Acid, Diglycerin, Stearic Acid, Cellulose Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Zea Mays Starch, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Coconut Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Potassium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Tribehenin, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium PCA, Glyceryl Behenate, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Sodium Benzoate, Lauric Acid, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Carboxymethyl Starch, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Cholesterol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Lecithin, Arginine, Cholesterol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineCaprylyl 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 GlycolChances 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 cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic 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
