What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Cocoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helichrysum Angustifolium Flower Extract
Masking
Zerumbone
Skin ConditioningGleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialLevulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water, Decyl Cocoate, Glycerin, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, C10-18 Triglycerides, Jojoba Esters, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Levulinate, Caffeine, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helichrysum Angustifolium Flower Extract, Zerumbone, Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopherol, Polyglycerin-3, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Anisate, Levulinic Acid, Sorbitan Oleate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantPolyacrylate-13
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyisobutene
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientParfum
Masking
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Steareth-20
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Glucose
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningPotassium Chloride
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Chloride
AstringentMagnesium Sulfate
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningSodium Phosphate
BufferingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Histidine
Humectant
Valine
MaskingChrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Leucine
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningTryptophan
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Serine
Masking
2'-Deoxyadenosine
Cystine
MaskingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningDeoxycytidine
Deoxyguanosine
Thymidine
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Asparagine
MaskingAspartic Acid
Masking
Ornithine
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Aminobutyric Acid
Methionine
Skin ConditioningTaurine
BufferingHydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningGlucosamine
Coenzyme A
Skin ConditioningGlucuronolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Glucuronate
HumectantThiamine Diphosphate
Skin ConditioningDisodium Flavine Adenine Dinucleotide
Sodium Trimetaphosphate
BufferingRetinyl Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Inositol
Humectant
Niacin
SmoothingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCalcium Pantothenate
Folic Acid
Skin ConditioningRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Phosphate
CleansingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-16 Alcohols, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-8, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Polyisobutene, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sucrose Palmitate, Parfum, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Steareth-20, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glyceryl Linoleate, Polysorbate 20, Tromethamine, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Polyacrylate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Glucose, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Potassium Chloride, Dipeptide-2, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Glutamine, Sodium Phosphate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Acetate, Tocopherol, Lysine Hcl, Arginine, Alanine, Histidine, Valine, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Leucine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Glycine, Polysorbate 80, Serine, 2'-Deoxyadenosine, Cystine, Cyanocobalamin, Deoxycytidine, Deoxyguanosine, Thymidine, Glutathione, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Ornithine, Glutamic Acid, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Proline, Aminobutyric Acid, Methionine, Taurine, Hydroxyproline, Glucosamine, Coenzyme A, Glucuronolactone, Sodium Glucuronate, Thiamine Diphosphate, Disodium Flavine Adenine Dinucleotide, Sodium Trimetaphosphate, Retinyl Acetate, Inositol, Niacin, Niacinamide, Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate, Pyridoxine, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, Tocopheryl Phosphate
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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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 Water
