What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoffea Robusta Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Triisostearate
Polyquaternium-39
Coffea Arabica Seed Oil
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Water, Coffea Robusta Seed Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Triisostearate, Polyquaternium-39, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Caffeine, Sodium PCA, PCA, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Isoleucine, Sodium Lactate, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polysorbate 20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Menthyl Lactate
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Laureth Phosphate
EmulsifyingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Cocoyl Methyl Glucamide
Skin Conditioning
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Benincasa Cerifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Betaine
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Molasses
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-26
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMenthyl Lactate
Masking
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cocoyl Methyl Glucamide, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Benincasa Cerifera Fruit Extract, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Betaine, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Molasses, Glycereth-26, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Menthyl Lactate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 GlycerinMenthyl lactate is an ester of menthol and lactic acid. It is often used as a cooling agent and fragrance.
When applied topically, this ingredient leaves a refreshing sensation like menthol, but is less irritating.
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate is a synthetic, water-soluble surfactant and emulsifier.
It's a "superfatting" agent that helps replenish some of your skin's oils after they're stripped away by other surfactants.
This is why "gentle" and "moisturizing" cleansers feel less stripping than basic ones.
Typical concentrations range from 1-10% and it has a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe at concentrations up to 10% in leave-on products.
Dermal application tests at 50% also did not produce irritation in two studies.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe and in vitro studies have shown Malassezia can metabolize it.
Learn more about PEG-7 Glyceryl CocoatePhenoxyethanol 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 a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate is a cleansing agent. It can be naturally derived or synthetically-created.
As a surfactant, it helps clean your skin by gathering dirt, oil, and other pollutants to be rinsed away more easily.
Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateTrisodium 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
