What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingNiacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Mandelic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Niacinamide, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Cetearyl Alcohol, T-Butyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantSodium PCA
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
Humectant
Lysine
Skin ConditioningPCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
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 AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
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
