Tula Skincare Super Calm Gentle Sensitive Skin Cleansing Milk Versus Derma E Pure Biome Balancing Cleanser
This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin.
This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Maltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Algin
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Cananga Odorata Flower Extract
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seedcake Extract
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract
Masking
Rose Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingSantalum Album Wood Extract
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Decyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycol Distearate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Propanediol, Colloidal Oatmeal, Hydroxyacetophenone, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Algin, Triethyl Citrate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phenoxyethanol, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lactic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Seedcake Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Stem Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Rose Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Santalum Album Wood Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningXanthophylls
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Panax Quinquefolius Root Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSucrose
Humectant
Tapioca Starch
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Stearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Inulin, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate, Xanthophylls, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Panax Quinquefolius Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Sucrose, Tapioca Starch, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractThis extract comes from cucumber. Cucumbers are mostly made up of water (95%), and the other 5% is composed of: vitamin C, caffeic acid, fatty acids, amino acids, and other minerals.
Cucumbers have anti-inflammatory, barrier repair, and hydrating properties.
They contain shikimate dehydrigenase, an enzyme shown to help reduce inflammation and soothe the skin.
The amino acids found in cucumbers help nourish our skin's natural acid mantle (it's an important part of our skin barrier). This slightly acidic film acts as a barrier to protect us from bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants.
Unless you have an allergy to cucumbers, this is generally a non-irritating ingredient.
Fun fact: Cucumis Sativus is native to South Asia and can now be found on every continent.
Learn more about Cucumis Sativus Fruit ExtractDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 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
