What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Lauroyl Taurate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Polyquaternium-10
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Taurine
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Hexyl Acetate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Anisaldehyde
Masking
Water, Sodium Methyl Lauroyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Glycine Soja Oil, Polyquaternium-10, Lauric Acid, Taurine, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Hexyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Anisaldehyde
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingSodium Chloride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
PPG-7
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Palmitate
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingSodium Stearate
CleansingPEG-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
PEG-4 Dilaurate
Emulsifying
Sodium Palm Kernelate
CleansingOryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
PEG-4
HumectantIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Alumina
Abrasive
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Lauric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, PPG-7, BHT, Coconut Acid, Sodium Palmitate, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Stearate, PEG-4 Laurate, PEG-4 Dilaurate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, PEG-4, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Alumina
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineLauric Acid is a fatty acid or lipid. About half of fatty acids in coconut oil is lauric acid.
This ingredient helps hydrate and sooth skin. As a humectant, it helps trap moisture. It also aids in cleaning and enhancing the texture of products.
Lauric acid may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne, safe.
Learn more about Lauric AcidSodium 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.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
