What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Phytate
O-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCellulose
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMenthyl Lactate
MaskingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Water
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingKaolin
AbrasiveSalicylic Acid
MaskingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Menthyl Lactate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Kaolin, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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