What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Aspartate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium EDTA
Pentasodium Triphosphate
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Aspartate, Glycerin, Panthenol, Cocamide Mea, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Trisodium EDTA, Pentasodium Triphosphate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Propanediol, Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Beta-Glucan, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Sulfate
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glutaral
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caramel
Cosmetic Colorant
Reviews
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 CopolymerCitric 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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 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
