What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
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, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Polysorbate 20, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Phospholipids, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Tetrasodium EDTA
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Sorbitol
Humectant
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Denatonium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Methylparaben, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol, Benzophenone-4, Tetrasodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Retinyl Palmitate, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Sorbitol, Hydroxycitronellal, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Denatonium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Benzoic Acid, CI 19140, CI 42090
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
