CeraVe Hydrating Cream-To-Foam Cleanser Versus The INKEY List Hydrating Cream-To-Milk Cleanser

CeraVe Hydrating Cream-To-Foam Cleanser Versus The INKEY List Hydrating Cream-To-Milk Cleanser

This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.

This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate

Coco-Betaine

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Sodium Chloride

PCA

PPG-5-Ceteth-20

PEG-100 Stearate

PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate

PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides

PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate

CI 77891

Aspartic Acid

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Sorbitan Isostearate

Carbomer

Glycol Distearate

Glyceryl Stearate

Glyceryl Oleate

Glycine

Trideceth-6

Cetearyl Alcohol

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Threonine

Sodium Hydroxide

Salicylic Acid

Sodium PCA

Sodium Lactate

Arginine

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Serine

Sodium Benzoate

Valine

Sodium Hyaluronate

Proline

Isoleucine

Cholesterol

Phenoxyethanol

Alanine

Phenylalanine

Coconut Acid

Coco-Glucoside

Chlorphenesin

Disodium EDTA

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Citric Acid

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Phytosphingosine

Xanthan Gum

Histidine

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Polyquaternium-53

Polyquaternium-39

Polysorbate 60

Ethylhexylglycerin

Benzoic Acid

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, PCA, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, CI 77891, Aspartic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Glycol Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycine, Trideceth-6, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Threonine, Sodium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Serine, Sodium Benzoate, Valine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Proline, Isoleucine, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Alanine, Phenylalanine, Coconut Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Histidine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-53, Polyquaternium-39, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzoic Acid

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Betaine

Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Isohexadecane

Pentylene Glycol

Propanediol

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Hydroxyacetophenone

Oryza Sativa

Cetearyl Olivate

Polysorbate 80

Sorbitan Olivate

Sorbitan Oleate

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Inulin

Polyquaternium-10

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Lecithin

Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxyacetophenone, Oryza Sativa, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Inulin, Polyquaternium-10, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin

Reviews

Alternatives

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).

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

This ingredient is derived from caprylic and capric acids. It is an emulsifier with emollient properties.

According to the manufacturer, it is hydrophilic and soluble in aqueous solutions (water). They also state this ingredient is stable in a medium pH range (~5 - 8).

As an emulsifier, it helps make oils and oil-soluble ingredients more soluble in water.

Phenoxyethanol 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.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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!

Xanthan 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.

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