
Highlights
WHAT IS IT?
Foaming wash with 2 main ingredients
FEATURES
Contains tea tree extract and licorice extract, antibacterial functions, reduces excess oil and dirt, soothes skin, suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin
BEST FOR
sensitive
CHECKS
Not specified what it doesn't contain
Who Is It For?
What Does It Help With?
Acne Excess Oil Soothing SkinBudget
Affordable (under $30)How To Use
Which routine should it be used in?
Instructions:
Key Information
What DR. MORITA Says
Product Description:
Dr Morita Tea Tree Acnes Foaming Wash contains tea tree extract & licorice extract, antibacterial functions and helps to reduce access oil and dirt. Effectively soothing skin. Suitable for sensitive and acne - prone skin.
About the Brand:
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients List
Water/Aqua, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Laureth Suffosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Methylaminopropionate, Glycerin, PPG-3-Laureth-9, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, o-Cymen-5-ol, Disodium EDTA, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Fragrance, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid
Key Ingredients
tea tree extract, licorice extract
Ingredients Details
Butylene Glycol
Common Name(s): 1,3-butanediol,bg,1,3-butylene glycol
CAS Number: 107-88-0
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides humectant hydration and active ingredient solubilization with excellent skin feel.
Why It's Used: Preferred glycol humectant in premium and k-beauty formulations for superior skin feel vs propylene glycol with equivalent functionality.
How It Works: Two hydroxyl groups at 1,3-positions provide water binding and solvent activity. better tolerated than propylene glycol with minimal sensitization risk. 4-carbon backbone provides slightly greater hydrophobic character enabling dissolution of less polar actives vs pg.
Typically Found In: Toners,essences,serums,k-beauty formulas
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ glycol humectant
Secondary Functions: Tewl reduction,skin plumping
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%โ10%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ synthetic
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetic or naturally derived. excellent aqueous solubility.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Ceramides,emollients,occlusives,glycerin,hyaluronic acid
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
K-beauty's preference for butylene glycol over propylene glycol is driven by two factors: bg's superior skin feel (less tacky than pg's higher viscosity) and its lower sensitization potential (1,3-bg has better spatial distribution of hydroxyl groups that reduces protein interaction vs pg's 1,2-position oh groups).
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Citric Acid
Common Name(s): Lemon acid,2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid
CAS Number: 77-92-9
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Adjusts ph to optimal ranges, chelates destabilizing metal ions, provides mild exfoliation at higher concentrations.
Why It's Used: Universal cosmetic ph adjuster and chelating agent. aha exfoliant activity is secondary.
How It Works: As ph adjuster, donates protons. as chelating agent, three carboxylic groups bind divalent metals (caยฒโบ, mgยฒโบ, feยฒโบ) preventing oxidative degradation.
Typically Found In: Nearly all cosmetic formulations,brightening products,exfoliants
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ alpha hydroxy acid (aha)
Secondary Functions: Chelating agent,ph adjustment,preservation enhancement
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ10%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ synthetic or fermentation-derived
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Produced by fermentation of sugars by aspergillus niger. gras (e330). most abundant organic acid in citrus.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low at low concentrations; 2/5 at exfoliant concentrations
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Photosensitizing โ mandatory spf use. start at low frequency.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Use with caution โ spf required
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Safe at otc concentrations. eu: โค10% leave-on at ph โฅ3.5. mandatory spf advisory.
Works Well With: Niacinamide,ceramides,hyaluronic acid,spf
Avoid Combining With: Retinol in same step; multiple exfoliants simultaneously
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Three carboxylic acid groups provide multiple proton donation sites and stronger chelation than monocarboxylic ahas. this makes citric acid the preferred cosmetic chelating agent alongside edta.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment,ewg skin deep
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Common Name(s): Capb,cocoamidopropyl betaine,coconut betaine
CAS Number: 61789-40-0
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Boosts foam, enhances mildness, and conditions skin and hair when combined with primary surfactants.
Why It's Used: The standard foam booster and mildness enhancer in virtually all shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers โ provides synergistic mildness improvement with anionic surfactants.
How It Works: Amphoteric (zwitterionic) character provides positive charge interaction with hair keratin for antistatic conditioning. reduces irritation of co-formulated anionic surfactants via ionic complex formation. foam stabilization via bilayer reinforcement in foam lamellae.
Typically Found In: Shampoos,body washes,facial cleansers,baby products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ amphoteric surfactant
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 2%โ15%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ from coconut fatty acids and dimethylaminopropylamine
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1โ2.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Capb's mildness-enhancing synergy with sls has a molecular mechanism: capb's positive imidazoline head group forms an ion pair complex with sls's anionic sulfate group, reducing sls's free monomer concentration (the irritation-causing species) without significantly reducing micelle-forming capacity (the cleansing species).
Last Verified: Cosing database,ananthapadmanabhan surfactant review,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Common Name(s): Dpg,dipotassium glycyrrhizinate,glycyrrhizic acid potassium salt
CAS Number: 68797-35-3
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides glycyrrhizic acid anti-inflammatory and cortisol-potentiating soothing activity.
Why It's Used: The anti-inflammatory licorice active โ dipotassium glycyrrhizate provides stronger anti-inflammatory activity than glabridin-containing licorice extract, making it the preferred licorice active for anti-inflammatory formulations.
How It Works: Glycyrrhizic acid inhibits 11-beta-hsd (11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) which inactivates cortisol to cortisone. local cortisol levels increase providing anti-inflammatory activity analogous to mild topical corticosteroid. also inhibits phospholipase a2 and prostaglandin synthesis directly.
Typically Found In: Sensitive skin serums,anti-inflammatory products,anti-itch formulas
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ anti-inflammatory licorice
Secondary Functions: Redness reduction,anti-inflammatory,calming
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ1%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes โ from glycyrrhiza glabra root
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Plant-derived extract or synthetic.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; ideal for reactive and sensitive skin.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes โ particularly recommended for sensitive skin
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Ceramides,panthenol,allantoin,hyaluronic acid,centella asiatica
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Dipotassium glycyrrhizate's 11-beta-hsd inhibition provides a corticosteroid-potentiating mechanism: by preventing cortisol deactivation to cortisone, it effectively amplifies the anti-inflammatory activity of the skin's own naturally produced glucocorticoid without introducing exogenous steroids โ providing a 'natural steroid potentiation' that explains why licorice preparations have been used as a topical anti-inflammatory for millennia.
Last Verified: Cosing database,armanini et al. glycyrrhizate review
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12