What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPCA Ethyl Cocoyl Arginate
Moisturising
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract
CleansingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Coco-Betaine, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, PCA Ethyl Cocoyl Arginate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Fructooligosaccharides, Glycolic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Piroctone Olamine, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Bakuchiol, Sodium PCA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Zinc PCA, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Corn Starch Modified
AbsorbentGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Taurine Laurate
CleansingSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingMaltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Corn Starch Modified, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Taurine Laurate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Salicylic Acid, Glycine Soja Protein, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylhydroxamic Acid is a chelating agent that helps cosmetics stay fresh, stable, and consistent over time.
Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted reactions and effects from using the product. It also helps prevent the growth of unwanted microbes in products that contain water.
Caprylhydroxamic Acid is often used with natural antimicrobial products as an alternative to preservatives.
Learn more about Caprylhydroxamic 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 GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural “glue” that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (that’s where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But don’t skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless you’re highly sensitive, it’s well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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
