What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pantolactone
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Coco-Sulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder
Abrasive
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Acrylates Copolymer
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Laureth-2
CleansingOryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentTriethanolamine
BufferingParfum
Masking
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Luffa Cylindrica
Abrasive
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Mel
EmollientCoconut Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Sulfate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCoumarin
Perfuming
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Glycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder, Polysorbate 20, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamide Mipa, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Laureth-2, Oryza Sativa Starch, Triethanolamine, Parfum, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, CI 77891, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Propylene Glycol, Luffa Cylindrica, Salicylic Acid, Mel, Coconut Alcohol, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Coumarin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Allantoin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isopropyl Myristate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sorbitol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateIsopropyl Palmitate is a texture enhancer and emollient. It is an ester of isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
Palmitates are emollients. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier that traps moisture in.
When added to cosmetics, Isopropyl Palmitate creates a silky texture and improves spreadability.
Isopropyl Palmitate may not be fungal acne safe. It can worsen acne prone skin.
Learn more about Isopropyl PalmitateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
