What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingBentonite
Absorbent
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
Astringent
Acetic Acid
BufferingSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Bentonite, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Jojoba Esters, Niacinamide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Acetic Acid, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Xanthan Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phytate, Butylene Glycol, Gluconolactone, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
