What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPEG-32
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPEG-100 Stearate
PEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycol Stearate
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycol Distearate
EmollientSodium Methyltaurate
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-7
Coconut Acid
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMentha Suaveolens Leaf Extract
AstringentMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
PerfumingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-32, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-150 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Methyltaurate, Allantoin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyquaternium-7, Coconut Acid, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Mentha Suaveolens Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propolis Extract, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientLysine
Skin ConditioningIngredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycerinChances 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 ChlorideWater. 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