What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientLauric Acid
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSodium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentSaponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantDivinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
C12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantPonceau Sx
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Lauric Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide Mea, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Oryza Sativa Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Titanium Dioxide, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, C12-13 Pareth-3, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, CI 42090, CI 19140, Ponceau Sx, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal
Salicylic Acid 2%
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingSucrose
HumectantDisodium Phosphate
BufferingArginine Cocoate
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingCola Nitida Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientMentha Piperita Callus Lysate
AntioxidantSea Whip Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPPG-6
Skin ConditioningDecyltetradeceth-30
CleansingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingLongifolene
MaskingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingPerillaldehyde
Masking10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Beta-Caryophyllene
MaskingPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearate
CleansingSodium Salicylate
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeChloroxylenol
AntimicrobialSalicylic Acid 2%, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sucrose, Disodium Phosphate, Arginine Cocoate, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Cola Nitida Seed Extract, Caffeine, Algae Extract, Mentha Piperita Callus Lysate, Sea Whip Extract, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, PPG-6, Decyltetradeceth-30, Lactobacillus Ferment, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Longifolene, Acetyl Glucosamine, Capryloyl Glycine, Perillaldehyde, 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Beta-Caryophyllene, Phospholipids, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Salicylate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chloroxylenol
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 GlycolDisodium 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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