What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Polyacrylamide
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
C15-19 Alkane
SolventAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Soybean Peroxidase
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Cocoate
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Glycerin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caffeine, Oenothera Biennis Oil, C15-19 Alkane, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Oryza Sativa Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Soybean Peroxidase, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Isoamyl Cocoate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Isoamyl Laurate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycerinWater. 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
