What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-10
Tetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingParfum
Masking
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Betaine, Cocamide Mipa, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Ceramide Ng, Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-10, Tetrasodium EDTA, Parfum, Piroctone Olamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cocamide Methyl Mea
Foam Boosting
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingPPG-2 Cocamide
Surfactant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Polyquaternium-61
Skin ConditioningSodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantSodium PCA
Humectant
Polyquaternium-10
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cocamide Methyl Mea, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, PPG-2 Cocamide, Ceramide Ng, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycine, Polyquaternium-61, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Sodium PCA, Polyquaternium-10, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCeramide NG is a type of Ceramide. The NG stands for a sphinganine base.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.
Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A stronger barrier helps the skin look more firm and hydrated. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.
If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.
Read more about other common types of ceramides here:
Ceramide AP
Ceramide EOP
Ceramide NP
Citric 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.
Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
Learn more about Citric AcidCocamidopropyl 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 BetaineThis ingredient is a cleansing agent, surfactant, and foam booster. It considered an alternative to traditional sulfates (Sulfosuccinate) and is allowed in "sulfate-free" products.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient is mild and can be used in baby and bath options.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPolyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.
This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.
For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.
Learn more about Polyquaternium-10Water. 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
