What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientInulin
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantLactic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyaminopropyl Biguanide
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Panthenol, Sucrose Stearate, Inulin, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Saccharide Isomerate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Gluconolactone, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Calcium Gluconate, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Bixa Orellana Seed Extract
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMannose
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Polyquaternium-11
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Coco-Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Niacinamide, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocamide Mea, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Mannose, Disodium EDTA, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Maltodextrin, Polyquaternium-11, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
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
