What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Trifolium Pratense Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Parfum
Masking
Pantolactone
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Canarium Commune Gum Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Commiphora Confusa Resin Oil
Emollient
Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingUrtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Boswellia Neglecta Resin Oil
Emollient
Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil
Masking
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Laurate, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Levulinic Acid, Alcohol, Sodium Levulinate, Citric Acid, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Canarium Commune Gum Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Commiphora Confusa Resin Oil, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Oil, Boswellia Neglecta Resin Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil, Propolis Extract, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Citral
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.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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
