What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSolum Diatomeae
Abrasive
Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer
Acrylates Copolymer
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingLithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
AbsorbentPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Limonene
Perfuming
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Triolein
Skin Conditioning
Trilinolein
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Nitrate
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Magnesium Chloride
Water, Solum Diatomeae, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Glycerin, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Decyl Glucoside, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Lauryl Glucoside, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Polysorbate 20, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Limonene, Decylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Tetrasodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocotrienols, Triolein, Trilinolein, Magnesium Nitrate, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Acrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Disodium Capryloyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Sulfate
Potassium Chloride
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogen Peroxide
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Panthenol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Disodium Capryloyl Glutamate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogen Peroxide, Propylene Glycol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, O-Cymen-5-Ol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract comes from the peels of the bitter orange. This orange is native to Southeast Asia. It is commonly used in foods such as marmalade.
Citrus peels are often made up of mainly limonene. Limonene is a fragrance with a citrus scent. They also contain flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
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 GlycerinMethylchloroisothiazolinone, or MCI, is a synthetic preservative used to protect against the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi in water-based products.
MCI is commonly combined with methylisothiazolinone (MI) in a 3:1 ratio.
This ingredient is safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-sensitizing and concentrations must not exceed 7.5 ppm in leave-on products / 15 ppm in rinse-off products.
Unfortunately, this ingredient has a well-documented sensitization story. Studies spanning several decades have shown this ingredient + MI to cause skin irritation and allergies.
The use of this ingredient varies around the world:
This just means this ingredient is most likely non-sensitizing in rinse-off products unless you've been diagnosed with a contact allergy to isothiazolinones.
Learn more about MethylchloroisothiazolinoneMI is a preservative and known skin irritant. In the past, MI was used for its ability to prevent bacteria, yeast, and fungi growth in low doses.
Nowadays, you'll most likely see MI combined with Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI).
Since then, numerous studies have shown this ingredient to cause contact dermatitis, or skin irritation.
The use of this ingredient varies around the world:
Learn more about MethylisothiazolinonePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium 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 Water
