What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Honey
Humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningTartaric Acid
Buffering
Malic Acid
Buffering
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycerin, Propanediol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Honey, Rosmarinus Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Water, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Tartaric Acid, Malic Acid, Mentha Piperita Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77288, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Spirulina Platensis Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Quaternium-18
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-37
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Quaternium-80
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyacrylamide
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Laureth-9
EmulsifyingPEG-8
HumectantCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
PEG-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingArginine Cocoate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Ceteareth-25
CleansingDisodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate
Cleansing
Methyl Ionones
MaskingBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Quaternium-18, Polysorbate 60, Mentha Piperita Oil, Parfum, Polyquaternium-37, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Piroctone Olamine, Phytosterols, Quaternium-80, Propanediol, Polyacrylamide, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Citric Acid, Laureth-9, PEG-8, Ceramide Ng, PEG-3 Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Arginine Cocoate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Ceteareth-25, Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate, Methyl Ionones, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Limonene, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool
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 GlycerinThis essential oil is steam-distilled from peppermint leaves, also known as peppermint oil. It's mainly used for scent in skincare but also provides that signature "cooling" sensation.
Peppermint oil is a "feels amazing" ingredient until it doesn't.
At higher doses or for those with sensitive skin, methol-type cooling can quickly turn into burning/irritation. It can also trigger irritant dermatitis or even allergic contact dermatitis. In a large patch-test dataset, peppermint oil had a low but positive rate for this.
In cosmetics, Cosmetic Safety Reviews (CIR) concludes that peppermint oil is safe to use when formulated to be non-sensitizing with some restrictions; for instance, pulegone, a naturally occurring component of peppermint oil, should not exceed 1%.
Since peppermint oil contains fragrance allergens such as limonene, linalool, and menthol, it can be sensitizing for those with rosacea, eczema, a broken skin barrier, or just sensitive skin in general.
In Japan, this ingredient is known as Hakka Yu.
Learn more about Mentha Piperita OilThis ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
