This salicylic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.
This lactic acid foaming cleanser is formulated around Lactic Acid to exfoliate and smooth skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingPotassium Cocoyl Glutamate
Surfactant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
ChelatingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingZinc PCA
Humectant
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningWater, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Potassium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Lactate, Panthenol, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Disodium EDTA, Zinc PCA, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Laureth Phosphate
EmulsifyingLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sericin
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Glycolate
BufferingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Sericin, Saccharide Isomerate, Propanediol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Chloride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Glycolate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinLauryl Hydroxysultaine is a mild surfactant or cleansing ingredient that helps lift away dirt/oil, boost foam, and thicken the formula. It plays nicely with other surfactants and stays stable across a wide pH range.
This ingredient is more commonly known as IPMP or Isopropyl Methylphenol. It is a preservative and has antimicrobial properties.
According to the EPA, this ingredient is allowed for use in cleansers, creams, powders, bath products, toothpaste, perfume, and more.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateWater. 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
