What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PPG-9
Skin ConditioningIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-9, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linalool, CI 19140, CI 42090, CI 17200
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Honey
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Santalol
Perfuming
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 GlycerinSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
