What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDimethicone
Emollient
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Tipa-Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium EDTA
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSaponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAlumina
Abrasive
Gentiana Lutea Extract
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Dimethicone, Lauric Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycol Distearate, Glyceryl Behenate, Propanediol, Tipa-Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cera Microcristallina, Parfum, CI 77891, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tetrasodium EDTA, Maltodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Alumina, Gentiana Lutea Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 19140, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Distearyl Ether
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Laureth-2
CleansingSqualane
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauryl Glucoside, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Chloride, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Distearyl Ether, Sodium Benzoate, Laureth-2, Squalane, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Persea Gratissima Oil
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 GlycerinSodium 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
