What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPolyquaternium-10
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Laureth-20
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-23
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Poloxamer 407
EmulsifyingSodium Xylenesulfonate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Dimethicone, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Chloride, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Laureth-20, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Laureth-23, Citric Acid, Laureth-4, Caramel, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Poloxamer 407, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Xylenesulfonate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Histidine
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-10
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Cocamide Mea, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Silk, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Sodium Benzoate, Dimethiconol, Histidine, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Salicylate, Sodium Citrate, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Laureth-23
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 AcidCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineLaureth-23 is created by reacting ethylene oxide with Lauryl Alcohol.
It is a cleansing ingredient. This means it helps lift oils and dirt so they may be rinsed away with water.
The 23 refers to the number of repeating ethylene oxides in the molecule.
Learn more about Laureth-23Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPolyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.
This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.
For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.
Learn more about Polyquaternium-10Sodium 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 BenzoateChances 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 ChlorideWe don't have a description for Sodium Xylenesulfonate yet.
Tetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
Water. 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
