What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Polyquaternium-10
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentAdansonia Digitata Fruit Extract
EmollientOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Japonica Root Extract
Skin ProtectingDisodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Lauric Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propanediol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Coco-Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-10, Citric Acid, Coconut Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Sophora Japonica Root Extract, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-8
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGanoderma Amboinense Extract
HumectantRosa Rugosa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Cnidium Officinale Rhizome Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Mume Fruit Extract
Humectant
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDihydroxypropyl Arginine Hcl
HumectantPolyquaternium-7
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipalmitoyl Glycerophosphocholine
Skin ConditioningDicetyl Dipeptide-9
Cholesterol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Distearyl PEG-18 Formoyl Glutamate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Phytic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, PEG-8, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Lauric Acid, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Ganoderma Amboinense Extract, Rosa Rugosa Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Cnidium Officinale Rhizome Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Dihydroxypropyl Arginine Hcl, Polyquaternium-7, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosterols, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Tocopherol, Caramel, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Butylene Glycol, Dipalmitoyl Glycerophosphocholine, Dicetyl Dipeptide-9, Cholesterol, Palmitic Acid, Distearyl PEG-18 Formoyl Glutamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Arginine, Phytic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients 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
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinLauric 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 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 Water
