What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Sprout
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract
TonicPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Methyl Lactate
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantAloe Barbadensis Sprout, Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Dimethiconol, Glycerin, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Serine, Sorbitol, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Methyl Gluceth-20, Methyl Lactate, Propylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 19140, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carnitine
CleansingMannitol
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Sucrose
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Citrulline
Skin ConditioningGlycogen
HumectantHistidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingThreonine
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Urea, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Cyclomethicone, Sodium Lactate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Ether, Methylpropanediol, Octyldodecanol, Tapioca Starch, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arginine Hcl, Sodium Chloride, Sodium PCA, Dimethiconol, Phenoxyethanol, Lactic Acid, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Carnitine, Mannitol, Serine, Sucrose, Ceramide NP, Citrulline, Glycogen, Histidine Hcl, Alanine, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cyclomethicone is a class of silicones used to improve the texture of products.
Their cyclic or circular structure decreases stability. This causes quick evaporation when applied to skin. Cyclomethicones are often used as a carrier for other ingredients. Once it evaporates, it leaves a silky barrier on the skin.
The most popular types of cyclomethicones include D5 and D6.
Learn more about CyclomethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinLactic 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 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.
Serine is an amino acid naturally found in our body. Our bodies use amino acids to create protein.
Amino-acids help give keep our skin hydrated. They play an important role in the skin barrier, which keeps the skin plump and firm.
Serine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning we don't need to obtain it from eating foods.
Learn more about SerineChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.
This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.
The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.
Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
