What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSodium Laureth-6 Carboxylate
CleansingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyquaternium-7
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Sorbitol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Laureth-6 Carboxylate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Panthenol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Polyquaternium-7, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Arachidic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-8
HumectantMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantLauric Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Sorbitol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-39
Disodium EDTA
Oryza Sativa Germ Oil
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Kaolin
Abrasive
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Betaine
Humectant
Silk Powder
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Water, Stearic Acid, PEG-8, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Dipropylene Glycol, Lauric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sorbitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Parfum, Polyquaternium-39, Disodium EDTA, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, Kaolin, Sodium Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates Copolymer, Betaine, Silk Powder, Tocopherol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SeLauric 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 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 HydroxideSodium 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 BenzoateSorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolStearic 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 AcidTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
