What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAmodimethicone
Polyquaternium-37
Polysilicone-29
Silicone Quaternium-18
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Caprylic Acid
CleansingXylitol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lignosulfonate
SurfactantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Ceresin
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Isododecane, Dipropylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, Polyquaternium-37, Polysilicone-29, Silicone Quaternium-18, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Trehalose, Ethyl Linoleate, Ethyl Oleate, Caprylic Acid, Xylitol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Trideceth-6, Trideceth-12, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Lignosulfonate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Maltodextrin, Ceresin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Citronellol, Coumarin
Water
Skin ConditioningVp/Methacrylamide/Vinyl Imidazole Copolymer
PEG-40/PPG-8 Methylaminopropyl/Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantWater, Vp/Methacrylamide/Vinyl Imidazole Copolymer, PEG-40/PPG-8 Methylaminopropyl/Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Copolymer, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyimide-1, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Potassium Benzoate, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid
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 AcidDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
