What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Tocopherol, Pvp, Lactobacillus, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ceramide NP, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Linoleic Acid, Sucrose Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Phospholipids, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
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 AcidWater. 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
