What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Emulsifying Wax Nf
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Water, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, EDTA, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Emulsifying Wax Nf, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, Kojic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Niacinamide, Ascorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Methylparaben
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium EDTA
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCera Alba
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Creatine
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Citrus Limon Juice
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Juice
MoisturisingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Juice
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Masking
Parfum
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Distarch Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Trisodium EDTA, Ethylparaben, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cera Alba, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Propylene Glycol, Creatine, Persea Gratissima Oil, Maltodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Citrus Limon Juice, BHT, Citric Acid, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Juice, Prunus Persica Juice, Trideceth-9, Sodium Benzoate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Juice, Potassium Sorbate, Ascorbic Acid, Bisabolol, Parfum, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.
Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin. It improves dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because it blocks the process of skin darkening when exposed to UV.
Remember: Vitamin C should not replace sunscreen!
Your skin uses vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen is one key component in having a strong skin barrier and plump skin. Vitamin C also plays a role in regulating collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines.
Ascorbic acid shows potent antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.
The best formulations include Vitamin E and/or ferulic acid. These two ingredients help stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. This is because ascorbic acid becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air. In fact, you can tell your ascorbic acid has oxidized when it turns an orange-yellow color.
Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric 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 is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
