What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Heliotropine
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyquaternium-10
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Citric Acid, Heliotropine, Panthenol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Powder
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Oryza Sativa Powder, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Xanthan Gum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glycine Soja Oil, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
