What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract
AstringentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
Abrasive
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Propanediol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingGlycerin, Water, Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Coco-Betaine, Glyceryl Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Caprylate, Glycol Distearate, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Squalane, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Saccharide Isomerate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Citrate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlycerin (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 Oleate is the ester of glycerin and oleic acid. This ingredient is mainly an emollient and emulsifier.
Emollients soften and hydrate the skin by creating a thin film on top to trap in moisture. As an emulsifier, glyceryl oleate helps stabilize formulations by preventing ingredients such as oil and water from separating. According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps helps thicken water-in-oil formulations, shower gels, and hair shampoos.
In some products, this ingredient may be used as a fragrance / perfuming ingredient. The scent of this ingredient is described to be "waxy".
Glyceryl oleate is created from oils rich in oleic acid, such as peanut oil and olive oil.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about Glyceryl OleateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
