What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Myristate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Potassium Stearate
CleansingPotassium Laurate
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-22
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantEclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Althaea Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin Conditioning
Foeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract
EmollientAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Thymus Vulgaris Extract
Perfuming
Buddleja Davidii Extract
Skin ConditioningFicus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine Ferulate
Skin ConditioningWater, Potassium Myristate, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Myristic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Potassium Stearate, Potassium Laurate, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyquaternium-22, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Fructooligosaccharides, Xylitylglucoside, Beta-Glucan, Anhydroxylitol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Xylitol, Althaea Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glucose, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Maltodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Plankton Extract, Arginine Ferulate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventMontmorillonite
AbsorbentIllite
Abrasive
Dextrin
AbsorbentGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMalic Acid
Buffering
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Dimethyl Sulfone, Montmorillonite, Illite, Dextrin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Malic Acid, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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
