What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Honey
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Santalol
Perfuming
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Abrasive
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Methyl Lauroyl Taurate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
EmollientHydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingUndecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Lauric Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Lauroyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Parfum, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Hydroxystearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Capryloyl Glycine, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Citric Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, CI 42090, CI 17200, CI 19140
Reviews
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 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
