What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyquaternium-47
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Polyquaternium-7
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialLactic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-47, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Ceratonia Siliqua Seed Extract, Zea Mays Starch, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Propylene Glycol, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Lactic Acid, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Vinegar
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-7
Glycerin
Humectant
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamide Mipa, Parfum, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Vinegar, PEG-150 Distearate, Polyquaternium-7, Glycerin, Benzophenone-4, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, Citronellol, CI 14700, CI 19140, CI 61570
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl 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 BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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-7 is a light to clear colored liquid. It is commonly found in haircare products for its film-forming and anti-static properties.
According to a manufacturer, it is a non-paraben and specially developed for negatively charged surfactant systems. This makes it a great hairstyle holder and helps to improve wet hair detangling without adding buildup.
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 SorbatePropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium 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 ChlorideSodium 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
