What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingZinc Sulfate
AntimicrobialPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Sorbitol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Polysorbate 20, Parfum, Butylene Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Zinc Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hcl, CI 42090, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Citral
Perfuming
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Polysorbate 20, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Salicylic Acid, Parfum, Limonene, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Benzophenone-3, Citral, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, CI 19140, CI 15985
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder comes from the aloe plant.
You may know Aloe to be a good sunburn reliever and inflammation reducer. This is because it contains many components that are known to help reduce irritation and itchiness.
Aloe leaves are also great moisturizers. They are naturally rich in polysaccharides, a carbohydrate made of sugars. Polysaccharides are able to mimic the carbs found in the top layer of your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
Aloe contains the antioxidants Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins neutralize free radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe does not protect against UV rays, despite it soothing sunburns.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice PowderCI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140Citric 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 BetaineParfum 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.
Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.
Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.
The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.
Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Chances 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.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.
SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Laureth SulfateTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
