What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantGlucose
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingSorbitol
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Benzoate
PreservativePolyquaternium-67
Papain
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientArachidic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingPropanediol
SolventCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVinegar
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
ChelatingOleic Acid
EmollientCI 77004
Cosmetic ColorantMineral Salts
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
ChelatingWater, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Butylene Glycol, Glucose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sorbitol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-67, Papain, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Arachidic Acid, Lauric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Citrate, Propanediol, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Vinegar, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Oleic Acid, CI 77004, Mineral Salts, Citric Acid, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Palm Acid 25%
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cocoate 2.9%
EmulsifyingCalamine
AbsorbentGrass-Hay Herb Extract
PerfumingBentonite
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyquaternium-7
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
ChelatingEDTA
ChelatingSodium Benzoate
MaskingParfum
MaskingCI 14700
Cosmetic Colorant
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePotassium Hydroxide (also known as potash) is a strong alkaline ingredient that does one job: it nudges a product's pH up so the whole formula lands in a skin-friendly range.
It's also the base that turns oils into liquid soap during the soap making process.
An expert safety panel reviewed it and found it safe when formulations are made to be non-irritating.
As a pH adjuster, it's typically used well under 1% though regulatory caps go much higher: 5% in nail cuticle removers and 2-4.5% in hair straighteners.
Though there is some concern for irritation from raw or high pH material, a well-balanced formula will be a non-issue for the vast majority of people.
Learn more about Potassium 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