What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether
SolventCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingMethyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether
SolventHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Malic Acid
Buffering
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Magnesium Silicate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Malic Acid, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Ethyl Macadamiate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Decylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 47005
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, CI 42090, CI 47005
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 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
