What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMaltose
MaskingSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Trehalose
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Fructose, Urea, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Maltose, Sodium PCA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lactate, Trehalose, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucose, Methyl Gluceth-20, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Algae Extract
EmollientSucrose
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Molasses Extract
Skin ConditioningMyrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientCladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Hydrolyzed Prunus Domestica
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Oryzanol
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
PEG-75
HumectantOleth-3 Phosphate
SurfactantSorbitol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Oleth-3
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantOleth-5
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol Caprylate
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningCholeth-24
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCeteth-24
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Algae Extract, Sucrose, Acetyl Glucosamine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Molasses Extract, Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Salicylic Acid, Hydrolyzed Prunus Domestica, Caffeine, Sodium Lactate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Squalane, Oryzanol, Resveratrol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-75, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Sorbitol, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleth-3, Sodium Polyaspartate, Oleth-5, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol Caprylate, Dextrin, Faex Extract, Choleth-24, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Ceteth-24, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateSodium 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 HydroxideSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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
