What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Lavandula Intermedia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantLens Esculenta Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Algae Extract
Emollient
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-37
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Medica Limonum Peel Extract
EmollientGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Propanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Lavandula Intermedia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Panthenol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium PCA, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Lens Esculenta Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Parfum, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Algae Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Gluconate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-37, Citrus Medica Limonum Peel Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This 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 is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural āglueā that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (thatās where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But donāt skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless youāre highly sensitive, itās well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
