What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Menthol
Masking
Polyquaternium-10
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPrunus Armeniaca Seed Powder
Abrasive
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tetradecene
EmollientSodium Sulfate
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexadecene
SolventJuglans Regia Shell Powder
Abrasive
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMalt Extract
Skin ProtectingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sea Salt
Abrasive
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningApium Graveolens Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentSea Water
HumectantCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Coptis Chinensis Root Extract
Antioxidant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Vigna Angularis Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingRehmannia Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAcacia Concinna Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide Mea, Menthol, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder, Salicylic Acid, Panthenol, Tetradecene, Sodium Sulfate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexadecene, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Niacinamide, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Malt Extract, Butylene Glycol, Sea Salt, 1,2-Hexanediol, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Apium Graveolens Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Sea Water, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Vigna Angularis Seed Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Acacia Concinna Fruit Extract, Glucose, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Linalool
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 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 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
