What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingAcrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Potassium Laureth Phosphate
EmulsifyingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPolyquaternium-7
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Methyltaurate
Skin ConditioningSodium Sarcosinate
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Sodium Citrate, Polyquaternium-7, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Glucoside, Bisabolol, Betaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Methyltaurate, Sodium Sarcosinate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Mannitol
Humectant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Cocoate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, DMDM Hydantoin, Parfum, Gluconolactone, Zea Mays Starch, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Benzoate, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Mica, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, CI 77891, CI 77499
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric 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 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 BenzoateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
