What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Tapioca Starch
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Psoralea Corylifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Citric Acid, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Psoralea Corylifolia Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Bakuchiol, Sodium Benzoate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 10%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2.7%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 2.7%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, T-Butyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 GlycerinWater. 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
