What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Laureth-2
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMenthol
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polyquaternium-7
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Limonene
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Laureth-2, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Chloride, Caffeine, Panthenol, Parfum, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Menthol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Polyquaternium-7, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc PCA, Niacinamide, Limonene, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, CI 42090, CI 60730
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 AcidWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
