What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
PEG-90
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningFreesia Refracta Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Parfum
Masking
Water, Stearic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, PEG-90, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Propolis Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Freesia Refracta Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Polyquaternium-7, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-14m, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic Colorant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cnidium Officinale Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract
Skin ProtectingPhaseolus Angularis Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Tricholoma Matsutake Extract
Skin ConditioningTrisodium EDTA
Sapindus Mukorossi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Trametes Versicolor Extract
Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCordyceps Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Acorus Calamus Root Extract
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Benincasa Cerifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAngelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCornus Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVelvet Extract
HumectantThymus Vulgaris Extract
Perfuming
Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAsparagus Cochinchinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAcanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycol Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sorbitan Olivate, Parfum, Mica, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 77891, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, C14-22 Alcohols, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Squalane, Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Trisodium EDTA, Sapindus Mukorossi Fruit Extract, Triethylhexanoin, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Trametes Versicolor Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract, Cordyceps Sinensis Extract, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Benincasa Cerifera Seed Extract, Arachidyl Glucoside, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Dimethicone, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract, Velvet Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Asparagus Cochinchinensis Root Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, CI 19140, CI 15985, Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Cocamidopropyl 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 BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidParfum 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 ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is an amino acid-based surfactant and cleaning agent. This ingredient can be derived from animals or plants. It may also be synthetically created from fatty acids of the coconut and glycine.
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is a gentle surfactant. Surfactants help gather the dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away. It is a mild cleanser and naturally produces foam.
Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
