What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Germ Extract
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Diisostearyl Malate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Glucose, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phytosphingosine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Maltodextrin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Astaxanthin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Sodium Citrate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingPEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
Buffering2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-53
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Kaolin, Coconut Acid, Propylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-53, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric 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 StearateSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
