What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Surfactant
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sodium Coco-Glucoside Tartrate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Prunus Serotina Bark Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingYucca Schidigera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLitchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil
Astringent
Prunus Avium Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Cerasus Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Coco-Glucoside Tartrate, Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Prunus Serotina Bark Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Yucca Schidigera Root Extract, Litchi Chinensis Pericarp Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil, Prunus Avium Fruit Extract, Prunus Cerasus Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Alcohol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
