Shea Moisture African Black Soap Bamboo Charcoal Deep Cleansing Shampoo Versus Aveeno Baby Gentle Wash and Shampoo with Natural Oat Extract
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Husk
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycol Distearate, Parfum, Panthenol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Charcoal Powder, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil, Theobroma Cacao Husk, Glycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Triethyl Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyquaternium-10
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Oleate, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyquaternium-10, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
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 GlycerinThis 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 ChlorideParfum 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 ParfumSodium 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 BenzoateWater. 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
