What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Fomes Officinalis Extract
Skin ProtectingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
Astringent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether
CleansingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Phytate
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Niacinamide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Copper Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Zinc Gluconate, Glycolipids, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, Hexylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Phytate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Menthyl Ethylamido Oxalate
Skin ConditioningActinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientCitrus Nobilis Fruit Extract
MaskingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorophyllin-Copper Complex
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Rhizobian Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, PEG-8, Glycerin, Urea, Sodium Polyacrylate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Menthyl Ethylamido Oxalate, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Coconut Alkanes, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Propylene Glycol, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Rhizobian Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Centella Asiatica Extract
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 AcidThis extract comes from cucumber. Cucumbers are mostly made up of water (95%), and the other 5% is composed of: vitamin C, caffeic acid, fatty acids, amino acids, and other minerals.
Cucumbers have anti-inflammatory, barrier repair, and hydrating properties.
They contain shikimate dehydrigenase, an enzyme shown to help reduce inflammation and soothe the skin.
The amino acids found in cucumbers help nourish our skin's natural acid mantle (it's an important part of our skin barrier). This slightly acidic film acts as a barrier to protect us from bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants.
Unless you have an allergy to cucumbers, this is generally a non-irritating ingredient.
Fun fact: Cucumis Sativus is native to South Asia and can now be found on every continent.
Learn more about Cucumis Sativus Fruit ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
