What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tetrasodium EDTA
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingBenzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Hinokitiol
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Alcohol Denat., Allantoin, Sodium Citrate, Benzophenone-4, Hinokitiol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Hinokitiol
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 80, Allantoin, Alcohol Denat., Hinokitiol, Benzophenone-4, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products. Due to its properties, it can prevent water and oil ingredients from separating.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizingg properties. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Studies show higher concentrations of this ingredient can promote wound healing.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Learn more about AllantoinBenzophenone-4 is a water-soluble chemical sunscreen.
It protects in the UV-B range, but is considered a secondary UV absorber. This means that it needs to be paired with other sunscreen ingredients to provide effective protection.
Typically, it's used in cosmetic products to protect them from deterioration caused by UV rays. This is why you'll find it in a lot of products that aren't sunscreens.
Learn more about Benzophenone-4Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 AcidWe don't have a description for Hinokitiol yet.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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. 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
