What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Stearate
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMethylpropanediol
SolventPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium EDTA, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Methylpropanediol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Zinc Pyrithione
Antiseborrhoeic
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Amylopectin
Sodium Sulfate
Hexadecene
SolventTetradecene
EmollientDextrin
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Succinic Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingWater, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, Chlorphenesin, Zinc Pyrithione, Panthenol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Salicylic Acid, Bisabolol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Amylopectin, Sodium Sulfate, Hexadecene, Tetradecene, Dextrin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polynaphthalenesulfonate, Phenoxyethanol, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Succinic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Saccharum Officinarum Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCitric 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 Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycol 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 DistearatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances 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 IsethionateTetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
Water. 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
