What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingGlycol Stearate
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentTocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum Extract
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Polyquaternium-7
Sodium Phytate
Stearamide Amp
Parfum
Masking
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Glycol Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Algae Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Tocopherol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Coconut Acid, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Acacia Senegal Gum Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Phytate, Stearamide Amp, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyquaternium-10
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Magnesium Nitrate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingSodium Acetate
BufferingMagnesium Chloride
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamide Mea, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Polyquaternium-10, Glycol Distearate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-150 Distearate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Magnesium Nitrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Acetate, Magnesium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride
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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.
That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.
This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.
Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChloridePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPolyquaternium-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.
Sodium 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 BenzoateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
