What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Maltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.
This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).
Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.
Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.
Learn more about MaltodextrinPapain is a proteolytic enzyme extracted from unripe papaya fruit. It is a gentle exfoliator that helps remove the dead skin cells from your outermost layer of skin.
Basically, papain works by dissolving the "glue" holding dead skin cells to your skin's surface. This also promotes cell turnover and smooths texture.
Unlike other exfoliants, papain can work without causing significant irritation.
Beyond exfoliation, its proteolytic action also helps soothe irritated skin and supports the healing of minor wounds.
A 2024 in vivo/in vitro study confirmed its potential to suppress skin inflammation and improve transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in atopic dermatitis models.
Just one thing worth noting: there are reports of allergic responses in individuals with a papaya or latex sensitivity. Be sure to patch test if you're in this camp.
Learn more about PapainProtease is an enzyme that works as a gentle exfoliant by mimicking something your skin already does naturally.
Your skin uses proteolytic enzymes to carry out desquamation; this is the process of shedding dead skin cells from the stratum corneum.
In skincare, proteases act as biological catalysts that mimic this natural desquamation process. You can think of it as giving your skin's own renewal system a nudge.
By breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together, proteases help accelerate cell turnover to:
One reason they're becoming a popular AHA alternative is because proteases are considered effective while also being well-tolerated on skin. Because they work at a protein level rather than by lowering the skin pH, they can be a good option for those sensitive to AHAs.
Available in vitro and in vivo studies show positive exfoliant results but clinical (human) trials specifically on enzymatic exfoliation are still limited at this time.
Just one thing worth noting: temperature, pH, and stabilization are important factors that affect enzyme activity. The formulation quality definitely matters with this ingredient.
This ingredient can be either microbial sourced or plant-derived (papain from papaya, bromelain from pineapple).
Learn more about ProteaseSodium Lauroyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based mild surfactant that is used in formulas as a primary or secondary cleansing agent. This means it helps lift away oil, dirt, and makeup.
You'll see this ingredient in facial cleansers, shampoos, and even toothpaste because it foams reasonably well while being much gentler than harsher surfactants like SLS.
A study comparing surfactant mixtures found that Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate caused visibly less disruption to skin lipid structure and less irritation than SLS when tested on human subjects; this correlated with the data from in vivo results as well.
The Tenside, Surfactants, Detergents cosmetics industry journal has also concluded that amino acid based surfactants are generally milder than their corresponding alkyl sulfate counterparts. They also stated glutamates in particular are considered one of the gentler options in the category.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has reviewed dermal irritation and sensitization data for this ingredient at the highest reported use concentration and concluded it to be safe in present practices.
Typical use concentrations tend to run low (generally less than 10%) though the CIR's review noted the highest reported use concentration was 40% as a raw material blend (and not a diluted finished cosmetic product).
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
