What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
Abrasive
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citrus Medica Peel Oil
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentPunica Granatum Extract
AstringentRosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningUbiquinone
Antioxidant
Chlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract
Skin ConditioningMarrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ProtectingEchinacea Angustifolia Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ConditioningWater, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glyceryl Laurate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Xanthan Gum, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Citrus Medica Peel Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Sodium Benzoate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Argania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract, Ubiquinone, Chlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Echinacea Angustifolia Meristem Cell Culture
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cellulose
Absorbent
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentSilica
Abrasive
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
CI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantLinalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cellulose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Zinc Gluconate, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Silica, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Salicylic Acid, Benzoic Acid, CI 77007, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral, Citronellol
Reviews
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia OilOenothera Biennis Oil is the fixed oil derived from the seeds of the Evening Primrose.
Evening primrose oil is rich in fatty acids. These fatty acids include linoleic (60-85%), oleic (5-12%), palmitic (4-10%), and stearic (2-4%).
The fatty acid composition makes it a great ingredient for soothing and moisturizing skin. However, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.
Further research is needed on the role of evening primrose in treating eczema.
Evening primrose is native to North America.
Learn more about Oenothera Biennis OilTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan 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.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
