What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
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Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Parfum
MaskingCoconut Acid
CleansingCocamide Mipa
EmulsifyingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycol Stearate
EmollientSodium Isethionate
CleansingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Isopropanolamine
BufferingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Parfum, Coconut Acid, Cocamide Mipa, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycol Stearate, Sodium Isethionate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Isopropanolamine, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingParfum
MaskingAcrylates Copolymer
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantLinoleic Acid
CleansingCoconut Acid
CleansingGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingC10-16 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlycol Distearate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Benzoate
MaskingStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Parfum, Acrylates Copolymer, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Linoleic Acid, Coconut Acid, Glycolipids, PEG-150 Distearate, C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside, Glycol Distearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Disodium EDTA, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, CI 19140, CI 16035, CI 42090
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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 CopolymerCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineCoconut acid is a mixture of fatty acids obtains by hydrolyzing coconut oil and then distilling the fatty acid portion. It works as a cleansing surfactant, emollient, and emulsifier depending on the formulation.
This ingredient is not a single compound but reflects the fatty acid profile of coconut oil itself, which is about 90% saturated. The dominant fatty acid is lauric acid (44-54%) and then myristic acid (13-19%). There are small amount of caprylic, capric, palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
Human testing from CIR has shown no indication this ingredient to be a primary irritant, sensitizer, or phototoxic compound. It's also COSMOS-approved for natural and organic products.
Due to the high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Coconut AcidThis ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAAcai oil is extracted from the pulp of the acai palm fruit. It is rich in phenolic compounds and fatty acids like oleic and palmitic acid.
Due to the presence of fatty acids, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
This plant is native to the Amazon rainforest.
Learn more about Euterpe Oleracea Fruit OilGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Chances 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 ChlorideSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateSodium 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 HydroxideThis ingredient is also known as cupuacu butter. It is a plant butter made from the seeds of the cupuacu fruit and has skin conditioning properties.
Like other botanic butters, cupuacu butter works by reducing moisture loss and improving skin smoothness. Some research suggests it has an unusually high ability to interact with water in lab testing, which may help explain why products containing it can feel deeply hydrating.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated. However, those with very oily or clog-prone skin might prefer it in lighter formulations or lower concentrations.
Due to its fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne, safe.
Please note: Fungal acne is not caused by pore clogging. It is caused by an overgrowth of the Malassezia yeast on the skin. This yeast feeds on certain fatty acids.
Learn more about Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed ButterWater. 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