What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Benzoyl Peroxide 5%
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCharcoal Powder
Abrasive
Benzoyl Peroxide 5%, Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propanediol, Glycolic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Charcoal Powder
Water
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PEG-20 Stearate
Emulsifying
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Kaolin, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Laurate, Ceteareth-20, Tocopherol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, PEG-20 Stearate, Lactic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 80, Isohexadecane, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Parfum
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 GlycerinWater. 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
