What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Maclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Prenylflavonoids
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pantolactone
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acetic Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Water, Dicaprylyl Ether, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Propanediol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Saccharide Isomerate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Maclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Prenylflavonoids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Pantolactone, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Acetic Acid, Lactic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Phytic Acid
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Grandis Peel Extract
Astringent
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Copper PCA
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Butylene Glycol, Isododecane, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharide Isomerate, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phytic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Triethyl Citrate, Lactic Acid, Copper PCA, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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 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.
Saccharide Isomerate comes from sugars found in corn. It is a skin hydrator.
The structure of this ingredient can be altered to be more similar to the carbohydrates found in our skin. This ability to mimic our skin gives it hydrating properties.
Specifically, saccharide Isomerate is a humectant. Humectants draw moisture from the air to our skin.
Research shows Saccharide Isomerate to be an effective moisturizer.
Learn more about Saccharide IsomerateSodium 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 BenzoateSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateSodium 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
