What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sophora Japonica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDiospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rhus Javanica Extract
Antioxidant
Menthol
Masking
Trideceth-10
CleansingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAcetyl Cysteine
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Astringent
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Niacin
SmoothingPantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Sulfate
Riboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantThiamine Hcl
MaskingFerrous Sulfate
Astringent
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Cysteine
Antioxidant
Tyrosine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Denatonium Benzoate
Masking
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Borago Officinalis Seed Oil/Glycerin Ferment Filtrate
Emollient
Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract
AstringentTocopherol
Antioxidant
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Glycerin, Sophora Japonica Fruit Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rhus Javanica Extract, Menthol, Trideceth-10, Salicylic Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Citrate, Acetyl Cysteine, Citric Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Riboflavin, Thiamine Hcl, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine, Glycine, Cysteine, Tyrosine, Proline, Denatonium Benzoate, Cyanocobalamin, Saccharomyces/Borago Officinalis Seed Oil/Glycerin Ferment Filtrate, Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Steareth-20
CleansingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingIsostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acetamide Mea
HumectantPEG-23m
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
Boswellia Serrata Gum
Masking
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Parfum, Steareth-20, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Isostearyl Alcohol, Acetamide Mea, PEG-23m, Tetrasodium EDTA, Boswellia Serrata Gum, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Trideceth-6, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Silica, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Sulfite, Citric Acid
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
