What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Propylparaben
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Niacinamide, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantCitrus Nobilis Oil
MaskingCitrus Bergamia Peel Oil Expressed
PerfumingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCedrus Deodara Wood Oil
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentSambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingHydroxypropyl Oxidized Starch Pg-Trimonium Chloride
HumectantStarch Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Lactate
BufferingUrea
BufferingGlyceryl Laurate
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingLevulinic Acid
PerfumingP-Anisic Acid
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citrus Nobilis Oil, Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil Expressed, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cedrus Deodara Wood Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Hydroxypropyl Oxidized Starch Pg-Trimonium Chloride, Starch Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Glyceryl Laurate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Levulinic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Geraniol
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 GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier. It is a surfactant derived from sarcosine, and a common source is coconut oil.
As a surfactant, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate helps lift dirts, oil, and other molecules to be washed away. In leave-on products, this ingredient is used as an emulsifier. Emulsifier help prevent ingredients such as oils and waters from separating.
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is also commonly found as a foaming agent in shampoo, toothpaste, and shaving foam. It is amphiphilic, meaning it loves both water and fats.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl SarcosinateWater. 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