What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingCreatine
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Oxidized Starch Pg-Trimonium Chloride
HumectantGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingPiroctone Olamine
PreservativeMenthol
MaskingHexyl Nicotinate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
Citric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Creatine, Zinc PCA, Caffeine, Hydroxypropyl Oxidized Starch Pg-Trimonium Chloride, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Piroctone Olamine, Menthol, Hexyl Nicotinate, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Citric Acid, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingDimethiconol
EmollientCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingAmodimethicone
Sodium PCA
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningLawsonia Inermis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Laurate
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientIsopropyl Stearate
EmollientIsopropyl Oleate
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingLinoleic Acid
CleansingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPEG-90m
Emulsion StabilisingLactic Acid
BufferingTea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CleansingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeEthylparaben
PreservativePropylparaben
PreservativeButylparaben
MaskingMagnesium Nitrate
Magnesium Chloride
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Dimethiconol, Cocamide Mea, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Sodium PCA, Carbomer, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Lawsonia Inermis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Isopropyl Laurate, Isopropyl Myristate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Stearate, Isopropyl Oleate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-90m, Lactic Acid, Tea-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Trideceth-12, Cetrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Magnesium Nitrate, Magnesium Chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Amyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
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 BetaineLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidParfum 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 âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene 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 Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateWater. 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