What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Salicylic Acid
MaskingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingGlycolic Acid
BufferingArginine
MaskingMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract
AstringentPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Cocamide Mea, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Niacinamide, PEG-150 Distearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tetrasodium EDTA, Salicylic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum, Glycolic Acid, Arginine, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Decyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol
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 BetainePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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