What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingGlycol Distearate
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingLaureth-7 Citrate
CleansingLaureth-4
EmulsifyingPiroctone Olamine
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Soluble Collagen
HumectantHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
EmollientLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin ProtectingMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningFormic Acid
PreservativeLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeLinalool
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingWater, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Parfum, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Lauryl Glucoside, Laureth-7 Citrate, Laureth-4, Piroctone Olamine, Panthenol, Polyquaternium-10, Soluble Collagen, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Maris Sal, Formic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Biotin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingGlycol Distearate
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingLaureth-7 Citrate
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingLaureth-4
EmulsifyingPiroctone Olamine
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingZinc PCA
HumectantGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingFormic Acid
PreservativePCA
HumectantAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Parfum, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Benzoate, Lauryl Glucoside, Laureth-7 Citrate, Citric Acid, Laureth-4, Piroctone Olamine, Sodium Chloride, Zinc PCA, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Formic Acid, PCA, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Lactobacillus Ferment, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be bad for dry skin, cause irritation, and worsen rosacea.
This ingredient is a mild surfactant made by sticking glucose onto a blend of fatty acids.
It does two jobs because it has a sugar head that loves water and a fatty tail that loves oil:
Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.
Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.
This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.
Learn more about Caprylyl/Capryl GlucosideCitric 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 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 BetaineFormic Acid is a preservative.
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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalLaureth-4 is created by reacting ethylene oxide with Lauryl Alcohol. It is a surfactant and emulsifier.
Surfactants reduce the surface tension of ingredients so they can mix better. Emulsifiers prevent ingredients such as oil and water from separating.
We don't have a description for Laureth-7 Citrate yet.
Lauryl Glucoside sugar- and lipid-based cleansing agent. It is created from glucose and lauryl alcohol.
This ingredient is a surfactant, making it easier to rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants away.
A British study found lauryl glucoside to cause skin sensitivity for some people. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Other names for this ingredient include "Lauryl Polyglucose", "Lauryl glycoside", and "D-Glucopyranoside".
Learn more about Lauryl GlucosideLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPanthenol 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 PanthenolParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPiroctone Olamine targets Malassezia, the fungus responsible for dandruff, which is why you'll find it in many anti-dandruff shampoos.
It's also water-soluble, so it blends easily into these formulas.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Water. 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