What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPantolactone
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Xylitylglucoside, Panthenol, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Pantolactone, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningAlgin
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tetrasodium EDTA
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Sodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantSodium Tocopheryl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Iris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Algin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Parfum, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Cellulose Gum, Adenosine, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, BHT, CI 19140, CI 14700, CI 42090, Tocopherol
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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPentylene 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine (aka DLGL) is an amino-acid based surfactant. Because it has two fatty tails and two water-loving ends, it's really great at mixing oils and water into stable textures.
It is also a humectant; like hyaluronic acid, it can draw moisture to your skin.
DLGL has been studied as a skin delivery helper. In lab skin models, it increased accumulation/penetration of hydrophilic actives (like vitamin C).
An Australian NICNAS report states DLGL to be non-irritating to skin at less than 10% and non-irritating to eyes at less than 1%. There's no evidence of skin sensitization in animal tests, but be sure to patch test if you are sensitive to surfactants.
Learn more about Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide LysineTocopherol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
