What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Oryza Sativa Powder
Cellulose
Absorbent
Sodium Astrocaryum Murumuruate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Amorphophallus Konjac Root
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycol Stearate, Propanediol, Lactic Acid, Cocamide Mea, Betaine, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oryza Sativa Powder, Cellulose, Sodium Astrocaryum Murumuruate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oryza Sativa Cera, Hydrolyzed Amorphophallus Konjac Root, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Polyquaternium-39
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ag
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Buteth-3
SolventDisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tributyl Citrate
SolventPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Water, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Lactobionic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Sodium Salicylate, Polyquaternium-39, Phenoxyethanol, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Allantoin, Ceramide Ag, Oryza Sativa Cera, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Phenethyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Buteth-3, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tributyl Citrate, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Maltodextrin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTALactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidWe don't have a description for Oryza Sativa Cera yet.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe since phospholipids contain fatty acid chains in the C11-24 range that the malassezia yeast likes to feed on.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Learn more about PhospholipidsPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
Itâs often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 HydroxideSphingolipids are a major class of lipids in cell membranes. This ingredient has emollient, skin conditioning, and skin protecting properties.
Certain ceramides are considered sphingolipids (Ceramide NS and Ceramid AP), but not all sphingolipids are ceramides.
Water. 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
