What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates Copolymer
Montmorillonite
AbsorbentBetaine
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Spirulina Platensis Powder
Skin ProtectingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Acrylates Copolymer, Montmorillonite, Betaine, Kaolin, Spirulina Platensis Powder, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
PEG/PPG-8/3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, PEG/PPG-8/3 Diisostearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Panthenol, Glycerin, Beta-Glucan, Bisabolol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.
After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.
It is also used to make a product more thick.
Learn more about Acrylates CopolymerCitric 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 BetaineEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
