What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantGlycine
BufferingLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientGlycol Distearate
EmollientHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningLaureth-4
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLaureth-23
CleansingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycine, Lysine Hcl, Panthenol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Parfum, Cocamide Mea, Dimethicone, Glycol Distearate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Laureth-4, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Laureth-23, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingStearoxypropyl Dimethylamine
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Lactic Acid
BufferingLaureth-16
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantQuaternium-80
Polyquaternium-10
Polyquaternium-52
Sodium Chloride
MaskingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Glycol Distearate, Cocamide Mea, Parfum, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Stearoxypropyl Dimethylamine, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-7, Lactic Acid, Laureth-16, Propylene Glycol, Quaternium-80, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-52, Sodium Chloride, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
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 AcidThis ingredient is made by combining the fatty acids from coconut oil with monoethanolamine. It is an emulsifier that helps boost foam, thicken texture, and help keep ingredients together in a formula.
Cocamidopropyl 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 BetaineGlycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.
That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.
This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.
Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideParfum 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 ParfumPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolChances 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 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 HydroxideWater. 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