What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
Copper PCA
HumectantZinc PCA
Humectant
Glucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Capsaicin
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Propanediol, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Betaine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Gluconolactone, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Lactic Acid, Allantoin, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Magnesium PCA, Copper PCA, Zinc PCA, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Capsaicin, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glyceryl Ether
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Potassium Cocoate, Glycolipids, Tocopherol, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Lauroyl Lysine, Polyglutamic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lactobacillus Ferment, Saccharide Isomerate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Citrate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
