What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Polysorbate 20, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Zea Mays Starch, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Coceth Sulfate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sorbitol
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-40 Glyceryl Cocoate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Coceth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Sorbitol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Acacia Senegal Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, T-Butyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
