Kristin Ess Hair Deep Clean Clarifying Shampoo Versus K18 Hair PEPTIDE PREP™ Clarifying Detox Shampoo

Kristin Ess Hair Deep Clean Clarifying Shampoo Versus K18 Hair PEPTIDE PREP™ Clarifying Detox Shampoo

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Sodium Chloride

Parfum

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Sulfate

Glycerin

Disodium EDTA

PEG-4 Laurate

PEG-4 Dilaurate

Citric Acid

Tetrasodium EDTA

Cetearamidoethyldiethonium Succinoyl Hydrolyzed Pea Protein

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

PEG-4

Hypnea Musciformis Extract

Sargassum Filipendula Extract

Sorbitol

Gelidiella Acerosa Extract

Methylchloroisothiazolinone

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Persea Gratissima Oil

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Methylisothiazolinone

Coco-Glucoside

Ethylhexylglycerin

Algin

Carrageenan

Chitosan

Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

Sorbitan Oleate

Xanthan Gum

Limonene

CI 17200

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Sulfate, Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, PEG-4 Laurate, PEG-4 Dilaurate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Cetearamidoethyldiethonium Succinoyl Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, PEG-4, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Sorbitol, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Methylisothiazolinone, Coco-Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Algin, Carrageenan, Chitosan, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Limonene, CI 17200

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Salicylic Acid

Charcoal Powder

Sh-Oligopeptide-78

Panthenol

Sodium Phytate

Caprylyl Glycol

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Potassium Hydroxide

Sodium Hydroxide

Benzyl Salicylate

Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Salicylic Acid, Charcoal Powder, Sh-Oligopeptide-78, Panthenol, Glycerin, Sodium Phytate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene

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.

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.

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 guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.

This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.

Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term '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.

Parfum 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.

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!

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