What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLauric Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingBenzyl Glycol
SolventCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water
Antimicrobial
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Lauric Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Benzyl Glycol, Coco-Betaine, Salicylic Acid, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Ethyl Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Gluconolactone, Citric Acid, Asiatic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Madecassoside, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Acrylates Copolymer
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingKaolin
Abrasive
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Lauroyl/Myristoyl Methyl Glucamide
EmollientMannitol
Humectant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentOlive Oil PEG-8 Esters
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-39
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Sulfate
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ultramarines
Water
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid, Acrylates Copolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Betaine, Coconut Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Glycolic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Kaolin, Laureth-4, Lauroyl/Myristoyl Methyl Glucamide, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Olive Oil PEG-8 Esters, Paraffin, Polyquaternium-39, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Silica, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Sulfate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ultramarines, Water
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolCoco-Betaine is the natural version of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is often derived from coconuts.
Coco-Betaine is a surfactant, meaning it helps remove dirt and oil from the skin.
Disodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateChances 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
