What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Citrate
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Betaine
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate
SurfactantArginine
Masking
Sodium Surfactin
CleansingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
TonicGlycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Leucine
Skin ConditioningLysine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Phenylalanine
Masking
Threonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingHistidine
Humectant
Cysteine
Antioxidant
Methionine
Skin ConditioningGlycerin, Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycol Distearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Citrate, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Niacinamide, Betaine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate, Arginine, Sodium Surfactin, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Butylene Glycol, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Glycine, Serine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Leucine, Lysine, Alanine, Proline, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Tyrosine, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycol Distearate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium PCA, Saccharide Isomerate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Levulinate, Squalane, Sodium Phytate, Decyl Glucoside, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.
That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.
This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.
Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
