What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Palm Acid
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Morinda Citrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Perlite
Absorbent
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyquaternium-7
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Palm Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Morinda Citrifolia Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linolenic Acid, Perlite, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyquaternium-7, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCellulose
Absorbent
Acrylates Copolymer
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Houttuynia Cordata Powder
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Polyquaternium-10
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Glycine Max Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Cellulose, Acrylates Copolymer, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Tromethamine, Salicylic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Houttuynia Cordata Powder, Limonene, Polyquaternium-10, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Geraniol, Hyaluronic Acid, Madecassoside, Gluconolactone, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Glycine Max Oil, Propanediol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Canola Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is the oil from the bergamot orange and is primarily used as a fragrance. It has a "fresh" and "bright orange" scent.
The main aroma compounds found in this ingredient are limonene (~27-52%), linalool (~2-22%), and linalyl acetate (~27-40%). These are known EU fragrance allergens.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
When used topically, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is a photosensitizer due to the furanocoumarin content. Furanocoumarins absorb UV-A and cause phytophotodermatitis; this can look like redness, blistering, and lasting brown pigmentation on sun-exposed skin.
Due to this, this ingredient is capped at 0.4% in leave-on products applied to sun exposed skin.
Many modern formulas used a "furanocoumarin-free" version that sidesteps the phototoxicity issue, but still contains the fragrance allergens.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit OilGlycerin (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 GlycerinLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia OilLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, itβs still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
