What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polysilicone-11
C15-19 Alkane
SolventSqualane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Olivate
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Laureth-12
EmulsifyingTin Oxide
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polysilicone-11, C15-19 Alkane, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Saccharide Isomerate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Caprylyl Methicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Glucoside, Laureth-12, Tin Oxide, Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Diisooctyl Succinate
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Diisooctyl Succinate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Carnosine, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide As, Phytosterols, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).
Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.
Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.
Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.
A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).
While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.
THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateWater. 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
