What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid 1%
Masking
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Succinic Acid
BufferingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-10
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Glycerin, Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Salicylic Acid 1%, Inulin, Zinc PCA, Succinic Acid, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 80, Lecithin
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Salicylic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Glycerin, Inulin, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl 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 BetaineDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate is a surfactant and helps cleanse skin. It is created from the fatty acids of coconut oil.
Surfactants help rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants easily from skin. It has a faint fruit-like scent.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinInulin is a polysaccharide (carbohydrate) with prebiotic and antioxidant properties.
The majority of inulin is extracted from chicory, but can also be obtained from other plants such as garlic, onion, asparagus, and sugarcane.
Studies show inulin may help with controlling your skin's natural microbiota when applied topically.
The antioxidant potential of inulin varies depending on the source.
Learn more about InulinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, itβs still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
